Sam Kerr’s Chelsea have returned to the top of of their Women’s Champions League group thanks to a 3-1 away win against Swedish side Häcken.
After playing out a scoreless draw at Stamford Bridge in London last week, the Blues were more clinical in Gothenburg on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT).
The Matildas’ skipper poked home at the near post with 14 minutes gone to finish off neat work on the right by Rytting Kaneryd.
Kerr’s fifth of the campaign extends her own overall record of goals during this phase of the competition to 14.
But the Blues were pegged back just 12 minutes later thanks to a Clarissa Larisey header, before Kerr missed the target with half-time approaching.
The Australian’s international teammate Aivi Luik was in the centre of defence for the Swedes and watched forward Anna Anvegård hit the woodwork for the second time on the night early in the second half.
Erin Cuthbert made the home side pay by scoring in the 52nd and 65th minutes to put the game out of reach.
Kerr was replaced in the 73rd as Chelsea made it ten wins from their last 16 group-stage matches.
The Londoners sit top of Group B on eight points with Häcken one behind, Paris FC on six and Real Madrid one after Hayley Raso’s Spanish side were beaten 1-0 at home by Sarah Hunter’s French club.
Earlier in Group C action, another Aussie defender in Clare Hunt played a full game in Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-1 win over Roma in the French capital.
The second win over the Italian club in as many weeks takes PSG (six) up to second, one point behind Ajax after their 1-0 success over Bayern Munich in Amsterdam.
Two more Matildas are in action on Friday (AEDT) with Larissa Crummer’s Brann hosting Ellie Carpenter’s Lyon in Norway.
AAP
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