Chelsea Females 3- PSG Gals: Lauren James scores twice at Stamford Bridge as the Blues breeze into Champions League quarter-finals as Group A winners with out losing a match
Chelsea designed light-weight operate of remaining Champions League team match against PSGLauren James bagged a second-50 percent brace immediately after Sam Kerr’s 42nd moment opener Blues by now knew they experienced certified before kick-off but required to leading group Convincing acquire at Stamford Bridge indicates they go through as Group A winners
It is a happier Xmas this year for Emma Hayes and her Chelsea group.
This time past year, the Blues crashed out of the Champions League with a 4- defeat by Wolfsburg in their final group activity. The Blues had only required to stay clear of defeat by a few targets to development. It was without doubt their most affordable point of the period.
Quick ahead 12 months and Hayes’ aspect are in the quarter-finals possessing topped their group with out shedding a sport after a fantastic Sam Kerr strike and a brace from Lauren James gave them a 3- victory around Paris Saint-Germain.
Sam Kerr’s very first-50 % end kickstarted Chelsea’s dominant 3- get over PSG at Stamford Bridge
Lauren James doubled Chelsea’s lead soon after 55 minutes to help manual the Blues to an quick earn
It is some achievement, specified they started off their marketing campaign with Hayes owning to look at on from home just after recovering from an crisis hysterectomy.
‘It was the efficiency I wished, it is the functionality I have witnessed in instruction, especially this 7 days. I feel that most importantly it will give the workforce efficiency. It was surely a satisfying effectiveness.
I feel I’ve acquired so a great deal more than the a long time, I really don’t even know when the attract is so I am not even thinking about that. I just know that if you want to contend in Europe, you’ve received to place in performances like that.’
There had been a great deal of talk about how English groups have struggled in the Champions League more than the past 10 years but Hayes is not amazed at how her facet and Arsenal, who also concluded prime, managed to navigate tricky teams.
‘I assume from time to time we just imagine ‘oh you can find financial investment into the game in England therefore they’re likely to compete’ with no really recognising what expertise basically usually means. If you consider about Paris, Wolfsburg, Bayern, Lyon, probably fewer so Barcelona’s journey in Europe, occasionally we think about two several years in the past when we were in the ultimate that was the get started of that [journey], but we weren’t prepared.
‘I imagine English groups are at a improved stage to contend due to the fact of the calls for of our league, the excellent of our squad depth, the teaching at higher intensity around a extended time period of time has ready us to be in a much better position.
‘I assume the English golf equipment are just where by we should be primarily based on those people elements. So I’m not astonished definitely for Arsenal and ourselves to be in the placement we are and I feel we have to be aware that I remember having tonked listed here by Wolfsburg and it was a gulf. Do you feel that the gulf has just shut just by signing gamers? It just will not do the job like that.
‘There’s so a great deal grind that goes on in a training ability that can take yrs to essentially to get to the stage wherever you feel like ‘that’s what expertise appears to be like like’ and I consider my group glance encounter in Europe and it truly is most likely put is in that place in the team.’
James scored her next of the recreation just 7 minutes later as Chelsea topped Team A
Chelsea knew they would progress as group winners if they avoided defeat by two objectives and PSG manager Gerard Precheur had promised a ‘full on attack’.
The French aspect begun brightly as Kadidiatou Diani almost designed a target out of absolutely nothing. The ahead strike a speculative 40-property shot at goal that Blues’ goalkeeper Zecira Musovic did properly to drive onto the crossbar.
But PSG failed to capitalise on that opportunity as Chelsea started to just take control of the activity. Lauren James arrived shut to opening the scoring as she fired a shot to the in the vicinity of-write-up which Sarah Bouhaddi just managed to continue to keep out.
James ongoing to induce difficulties down the left and forced Bouhaddi into one more great preserve as she fired a minimal generate to the bottom still left corner.
But there was nothing Bouhaddi could do to avoid Kerr from getting a breakthrough in the 42nd moment. Sakina Karchaoui shed the ball in her own 50 percent and Kerr pounced, dribbling previous Amanda Ilestedt ahead of firing a sensational still left-footed strike into the top rated corner.
Emma Hayes’ side are in the quarter-finals having topped their team with no shedding a activity
If that was an spectacular intention, Chelsea’s next was sensational. James finally identified the back of the internet just immediately after fifty percent-time as she capitalised on a Bouhaddi slip-up. The ahead lower out the goalkeeper’s slack move to Kheira Hamraoui, laid the ball back to Fran Kirby, who then uncovered Kerr. She played a very first-time move back to James who then slotted the ball into the net.
Chelsea have been cruising and seven minutes later they experienced 3rd and James experienced her 2nd. A different properly-worked transfer observed Guro Reiten perform in Kirby down the remaining, who crossed for an un-marked James to slot dwelling.
PSG nearly pulled a aim back again when substitute Magnaba Folquet curled an hard work just broad but that is the most effective the French facet managed in the 2nd fifty percent.
The draw for the quarter-finals does not consider spot until February 10. The toughest draw Chelsea could get would be holders Lyon, who concluded a surprise 2nd driving Arsenal. The Blues could also facial area Roma or Bayern Munich.