Chelsea 4-1 Paris FC – Sam Kerr scores hat-trick as Blues claim first Women’s Champions League group stage win

Sam Kerr scored a superb hat-trick as Chelsea ran out 4-1 winners over Paris FC at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

The French visitors played some excellent attacking football in an evenly-balanced first half, deservedly equalising through Thea Greboval’s towering header after Kerr had opened the scoring for Chelsea on the end of a teasing Lauren James cross.

But it was the Blues who dominated after the break, with Kerr bagging her second shortly after the interval, meeting Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s low cross to restore Chelsea’s lead.

And the Australian completed her hat-trick on 56 minutes with a brilliant third, latching on to a long ball forward from the goalkeeper and sending an audacious lobbed shot over the goalkeeper from outside of the box.

Chelsea controlled proceedings from thereon in, withdrawing Kerr and James to rest them up for the weekend’s fixture against Leicester City.

And substitute Sophie Ingle added gloss to the scoreline with a volleyed finish from a corner in stoppage time to make it four.

This was always going to be a tough test for Chelsea against the giant-killing Parisians, who knocked out Arsenal and Wolfsburg in the qualifying stages.

But passing the test with such ease has left The Blues pretty well placed in second spot in Group D after the opening two rounds of matches.

The back-to-back meetings with Hacken in December will likely determine who tops the group, with the Swedish club currently sitting on six points after wins over Paris and Real Madrid.

But Chelsea will feel a lot more comfortable of securing at least a top-two finish now that they’ve got a win on the board after that disappointing draw in Madrid last time out.

That’s eight hat-tricks in her Chelsea career for the brilliant Australian. And her second Champions League triple was a thing of beauty. The first two goals were classic number-nine style finishes, ruthlessly converted from close range.

But her third goal was the one that will really stick in the memory, with Kerr expertly lobbing the goalkeeper from range while coming under huge pressure from the two covering defenders.

It’s taken Kerr a bit of time to hit top gear this season, but on tonight’s evidence she is firmly up and running now.

Chelsea: Berger 7, Charles 8, Carter 7, Buchanan 6, Lawrence 6, Cuthbert 8, Nüsken 6, James 8, Fleming 7, Kaneryd 8, Kerr 9. Subs: Kirby 8, Ingle 8, Perisset 7, Fishel 7, Mjelde 7.

Paris FC: Nnadozie 7, Soyer 6, Greboval 8, Sissoko 7, Bogaert 6, Corboz 6, Korosec 6, Thiney 7, Mateo 7, Bourdieu 7, Dufour 8. Subs: Fleury 7, Mouel 6, Abdullina 6, Bussy 6.

32’ – GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Paris FC: Sam Kerr opens the scoring, flicking a shot beyond the keeper after stunning work from Lauren James. James drifted in-field, bamboozling defenders with step-overs, and then curled a lovely angled ball into the box that Kerr pounced on. 1-0.

39’ – GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Paris FC: Paris FC draw level! A deep corner is met by the head of Greboval, rising higher than her marker and sending a terrific header beyond Jess Carter on the line. 1-1!

49’ – GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Paris FC: Chelsea retake the lead and it’s Sam Kerr again, turning Kaneryd’s cross home after great work from Kirby in the build-up. 2-1!

56’ – GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Paris FC: It’s a hat-trick for Sam Kerr! A long ball forward is snatched onto by Kerr, who bursts forward with the two covering defenders chasing her down. The Australian was never going to make it all the way into the box, so opts for a chipped shot from range as she comes under pressure from the defenders, sending a looping shot over the keeper. Nnadozie scrambles back but can’t keep it out as the ball drops over her head and in. 3-1!

90’ – GOAL! Chelsea 4-1 Paris FC: That’s the game. Sophie Ingle meets a low corner first time, turning a volley on target after being left completely unmarked in the box. 4-1.

• Kerr has now scored 16 goals in 26 Champions League appearances for Chelsea – a tally that includes two hat-tricks.
• Chelsea have only ever lost one group-stage match in the WCL, with their record now standing at 9 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss in 14 matches.