Girls on the Ball

Chelsea produced a dominant performance and emphatic win as they beat Albanian champions Vllaznia 8-0 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Wednesday evening at Kingsmeadow. Sam Kerr scored four, Pernille Harder got a hat-trick and Katerina Svitkova got the other as Chelsea made it two wins out of two in this season’s Champions League.

There was a great atmosphere with over 400 Vllaznia fans in the ground supporting their side.  It was Chelsea who had the first chance of the game though in the 2nd minute when after a bit of a scramble, Sophie Ingle’s shot was deflected of target.  Both Niamh Charles and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd saw efforts saved in the early stages.

Kerr gave Chelsea the lead in the 11th minute when she was played through by Harder and finished from about 6-yards.

A Chelsea corner caused Vllaznia problems in the 18th minute.  Guro Reiten put a long range shot over in the 24th minute as the hosts looked to extend their lead.  Harder played a nice ball through to Kerr four minutes later but the offside flag had gone up.

The chances continued to come for Chelsea but Harder shot over in the 31st minute.  The Dane then headed over a minute later.  Reiten skipped passed a defender but her shot was deflected wide in the 34th minute.

Chelsea did score a second in the 37th minute.  Reiten’s cross took a slight deflection into the path of Kerr who finished from close-range.

Two minutes later and the home side scored a third.  Reiten, who was excellent throughout on her 100th appearance for the club, with the assist again when her low cross found Harder who put the ball into the back of the net from 6-yards.

Chelsea celebrate a goal

Photo: Girls on the Ball

Reiten played a nice through ball to Kerr in the 41st minute but Kaylin Williams-Mosier got there first to claim.  Jessie Fleming put a chance just wide a minute later, again Reiten providing the cross.  Kerr had the ball in the net again a minute before half time but the offside flag was up this time to deny her.

Chelsea started the second half in the same way by creating chances to extend their lead.  Fleming shot over in the 50th minute, and Rytting Kaneryd was unable to control the ball and saw her effort go wide two minutes later.  Fleming put another shot over in the 54th minute from 25-yards out. 

It was 4-0 in the 57th minute when Reiten swung in a corner and both Kerr and Eriksson went for the ball, with the final touch looking like it came off Kerr’s head to complete her hat-trick.

Eriksson header over a free kick shortly after, before Kerr scored her fourth and Chelsea’s fifth in the 60th minute.  Reiten got her fourth assist of the evening as she played the ball across and the Australian finished from about 8-yards.  The backflip celebration followed, and Kerr became the first player to score four goals in a UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage game.

Harder had a chance in the 68th minute but shot over from 25-yards.  Beth England was denied by Williams-Mosier a minute later as Chelsea looked to add more.

They did score a sixth in the 72nd minute.  England saw her header from a corner pushed away by Williams-Mosier but Harder was there to put the rebound in and score her second of the game.

Harder headed over in the 76th minute, and two minutes later Chelsea did make it 7-0 when two substitutes combined.  Alsu Abdullina’s cross was headed in by Svitkova for her first goal for the club after joining from West Ham during the summer.

The Vllaznia fans, who had been singing and chanting throughout, started letting off some flares in the final 10 minutes and there was a slight delay after two of these had been thrown onto the pitch.

Megi Doci had an effort for the visitors in the 87th minute but her free kick from 30 or so yards went wide.

Chelsea scored an eighth in the 88th minute when Harder completed her hat-trick from 6-yards after Svitkova’s initial shot had been saved by substitute goalkeeper Viona Rexhepi.

England had two chances in additional time, first heading over then seeing her shot hit the outside of the post.  The final whistle went shortly after to signal the end of the match and a high scoring win for Chelsea.

Chelsea general manager Paul Green described it as a ‘great perfomance’ when speaking to the press afterwards. He described Guro Reiten as “the assist queen” and “gives quality down the left side”. 

About Sam Kerr, he said “she is a natural goalscorer” and that “getting four tonight will give her a lot of confidence and hopefully take into the weekend”. 

Chelsea’s next game in the Champions League is at home to Real Madrid on the 23rd November.  Before that, they take on Aston Villa in the WSL on Sunday at Kingsmeadow.

Line ups

Chelsea (4-3-3): Musovic, Perisset, Buchanan, Eriksson (c), Charles (Carter 63’), Fleming (Kirby 74’), Ingle, Harder, Rytting Kaneryd (Svitkova 63’), Kerr (England 64’), Reiten (Abdullina 74’)

Unused substitutes: Berger, Orman, Nouwen, Bright, James, Cuthbert

Goals – Kerr 10’, 37’, 57’, 60’ Harder 39’, 72’, 88’ Svitkova 78’

Booked – Perisset 21’, Carter 73’

Vllaznia (5-4-1): Williams-Mosier (Rexhepi 76’), Popovic (Ramadani 45’), Knox, Franja (c), Maliqi, Gjini, Patterson (Shala 76’), Berisha, Cavanaugh, Doci, Bashka (Lufo 45’ (Davidson 83’))

Unused substitutes: Raxhimi, Vuksani, Borci, Gjergji, Kodra, Saranovic

Referee – Sabina Bolic (Croatia)

Attendance – 3,022