Kerr strikes again as Chelsea return to top of WSL

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Sam Kerr struck twice as Chelsea reclaimed top spot in the Women’s Super League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

The Blues had to navigate around a Villa side with an organised and defensively disciplined back five, but Kerr eventually found the breakthrough to give her side the lead midway through the first half, before adding a second after the break


Jessie Fleming and Hannah Blundell both had efforts deflected behind inside the opening 20 minutes, while the latter also played through Kerr, who could only poke tamely into the grateful arms of Lisa Weiss.

However, the deadlock was broken through the Australian forward as she met Fran Kirby’s drifted delivery from the left to loop a header over the despairing Weiss on 24 minutes.

Further chances came and went for Chelsea before half-time, as Kirby spun smartly on the edge of the area before seeing her low drive just evade the near post of the Aston Villa goal. Meanwhile, in first half stoppage time, Jess Carter was unable to cap off a lovely Chelsea passing move as she curled over.

Kerr doubled the hosts’ advantage ten minutes after the break as she swept home from inside the penalty area, having been picked out by Kirby once again.

A triple switch in terms of personnel followed Kerr’s second goal from Emma Hayes, with their Champions League second leg against Wolfsburg coming up in midweek, but her side were still in the hunt for further damage to the visitors as So-Yun Ji and Fleming both tried their luck from distance, but couldn’t keep their shots down.

Chelsea manager Hayes said: “I was disappointed about some of the standards I uphold dearly about what you need to do to win football matches. There are certain fundamentals I expect of the group that weren’t followed. We did enough to get over the line, but we’ll have to improve. I liked the response from my team at half-time.”

“I don’t look at the table. You can’t afford to lose a couple of games in a season.

“We have to win every game. That’s the understanding in our dressing room. It’s not a new understanding either, it’s been there the whole time.”

“Being a relentless winner isn’t a choice. It’s the only way you can compete on all fronts. I can’t change how I am. It does take a lot to make me happy. Being humble and hard-working are two things you need to play here.”

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