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Chelsea qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals with two group games to spare after comfortably beating Celtic 3-0 on Wednesday evening.

Lucy Bronze, Wieke Kaptein and Eve Preisset scored the goals at Stamford Bridge as Sonia Bompastor’s side made it 11 wins out of 11 in all competitions to start the season.

Five times Champions League winner Bronze opened the scoring for Chelsea in the 2nd minute with a superb volley from inside the area that the visitors goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty was unable to keep out.

The Blues next opportunity came in the 5th minute but this one from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was saved by Daugherty, then a minute later, Catarina Macario shot wide.

Guro Reiten’s dangerous cross went behind off a Celtic defender as the home side continued to put early pressure on the Scottish champions.

The hosts next effort came in the 13th minute but Macario shot over from 20-yards out.

Murphy Agnew had the visitors first attempt but this went well wide in the 19th minute,

In the 25th minute, Rytting Kaneryd’s shot was deflected behind for a corner, and from that Chelsea doubled their advantage as Netherlands international Kaptein headed in.

The next chance for the Blues was fired over the crossbar by Rytting Kaneryd, then in the 34th minute, Sjoeke Nusken sent a shot from outside the area over.

The home side were looking dangerous from corners and the next one was headed over by Maelys Mpome.

The final opportunity of the first half went the visitors way when a nice ball forward found Agnew but Bronze was there to defend well and stopped the Celtic player getting a shot away.

Rytting Kaneryd had the first effort after the break for Chelsea when her dipping shot from 25-yards went narrowly over the crossbar.  In the 53rd minute, Reiten saw her attempt at goal headed clear.

The home side went close to scoring a third goal two minutes later but half-time substitute Mayra Ramirez’s shot was deflected just wide.  Kaptein got her head on Bronze’s cross on the hour mark but the ball went into Daugherty’s hands in the visitors goal.

There were no clear attempts at goal from either side then until the 81st minute when the hosts Ramirez couldn’t put a cross away from close range.

17-year-old midfielder Lola Brown came on to make her senior debut in the 86th minute, days after signing her first professional contract with Chelsea.

The final ball from Celtic was lacking at times, whilst in the final minute of the 90, Erin Cuthbert’s shot from 20-yards was saved for the Blues.

In additional time, Shannon McGregor’s 25-yard effort was caught by the home sides goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.

Chelsea were awarded a penalty in the final minute of stoppage time after McGregor handled in the area.  Perisset stepped up to take the spot kick and sent it into the corner of the net to score her first goal for the club.

The final whistle was blown seconds later as the Blues made it through to the knockout-stages for the third season in a row.

Line ups

Chelsea (4-3-3): Musovic, Bronze, Mpome, Bright (c), Lawrence (Brown 86’), Kaptein, Jean-Francois, Nusken (Bartel 86’), Rytting Kaneryd (Cuthbert 58’), Macario (Ramirez 46’), Reiten (Perisset 71’)

Unused substitutes: Hampton, Cox, Bjorn, Baltimore, Hamano

Goals – Bronze 2’, Kaptein 25’, Perisset 90’+5 (pen)

Celtic (4-2-3-1): Daugherty, Lawton, Hayes, Clark (c), Barclais, McGregor, Cavanagh (S. Carstens 61’), Smith (Noonan 71’), Gallacher (Kerner 83’), Ashworth-Clifford (M. Carstens 83’), Agnew (Cross 61’)

Unused substitutes: Logan, Rodgers, Bruna Costa, Munoz, McAneny

Referee – Tess Olofsson (Sweden)

Attendance – 3,931