Sam Kerr’s hat-trick against Paris FC ensures a comfortable night for Chelsea

A hat-trick from Sam Kerr guided Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over a stubborn Paris FC at Stamford Bridge. The striker opened the scoring in the first half before the visitors levelled through Théa Greboval. Two second-half goals in seven minutes from the Australian, however, ensured Chelsea earned a crucial three points.

Chelsea were aiming to kickstart their Champions League campaign on home soil after a frustrating opener. They secured a 2-2 draw in Madrid but Emma Hayes said they had been “robbed of what should have been a 3-1 game” after two contentious refereeing decisions.

Being at home in the Champions League, however, has been a source of encouragement in recent seasons. Chelsea came into this fixture unbeaten in the last six group stage games that they have hosted, and Hayes’ side are starting to look comfortable at Stamford Bridge. They returned to west London for the second time in a week after beating Liverpool 5-1 last Saturday.

Hayes made two changes to the side that drew with Madrid. With Millie Bright ruled out due to a knee injury, Canada defender Kadeisha Buchanan came in to partner Jess Carter at centre-back. Lauren James, fresh off the back of her hat-trick at the weekend, replaced Fran Kirby to restore the partnership that has been flourishing with Niamh Charles.

While Chelsea were the favourites on paper, there will have been plenty of consternation about the threat of Paris FC. Sandrine Soubeyrand is building an exciting project that is starting to challenge the status quo. They are second in Division 1 Féminine and caused shockwaves around Europe when they knocked out Arsenal and Wolfsburg, last season’s semi-finalists and runners-up respectively, in qualifying.

They did, however, suffer disappointment in their debut at this stage of the competition, losing 2-1 to Swedish side Häcken last week. Soubeyrand made only one change from that game with Teninsoun Sissoko replacing Célina Ould Hocine in defence. Mathilde Bourdieu, the forward who caused Arsenal many problems, led the line while Julie Dufour, their top scorer in qualifying, supported from the left.

The game got off to an uneventful start with both sides tentative. Paris are known for their courageous football, strong in transition with particular power in the wide areas. They tried to exploit this early on with Clara Matéo finding space down the right while their captain, Gaëtane Thiney, pulled the strings from midfield. Her deft touch set through Bourdieu for the visitors’ first chance, but her low shot was stopped by Ann-Katrin Berger.

As has so often been the case this season, Chelsea’s threat came from the left and, as the game settled, Charles and James began to secure a foothold. James was presented with a perfect opportunity but her finishing was wayward when one-on-one with Chiamaka Nnadozie. She made amends minutes later, however, when she beat Daphne Corboz with some dazzling footwork before dinking a pass for Kerr to turn home.

The hosts should have had a second soon after only for Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to be denied by Nnadozie’s alert goalkeeping. It was the spark Paris needed to find a way back into the game, absorbing the pressure and taking their opportunity when it came their way. With half-time looming, they were awarded a corner that was delivered expertly to the far post by Thiney. Greboval leapt high to loop a header goalwards, dipping it over the helpless Carter on the line, to level the scores at the break.

Chelsea returned with clear determination not to repeat the mistakes of last week and put the game to bed. Kirby was introduced for the quiet Jessie Fleming to add creativity. The home side did have to survive a scare first, however, when Berger was called into action, making herself big to deny Bourdieu.

Within 10 minutes of the restart, the hosts had secured themselves a two-goal cushion. Kerr, captain on the night, took centre stage as she rounded off a hat-trick in style. The Australia striker has been struggling with injury since the World Cup but found her form under the lights at Stamford Bridge.

Her second of the evening was an instinctive finish, holding her run perfectly to turn home Rytting Kaneryd’s well-placed cross. Her third was route-one football at its best. Breaking onto Berger’s launched ball, she used all her experience to hold off two defenders before dinking her shot perfectly over the backpedalling Nnadozie. The Nigeria goalkeeper got a hand to it but there was nothing she could do to keep it from its destination.

It was a goal that took the wind out of Paris’s resistance as Chelsea closed out the victory with a late strike by Sophie Ingle. It was a result that ensured they remain unbeaten, taking four points from two difficult encounters. They host Häcken, the leaders of Group D in the next round of fixtures in December.