A rampant Chelsea beat FC Twente 6-1 at Stamford Bridge to continue their flawless UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign
It was a dream start for Sonia Bompastor’s side, with the Blues taking the lead inside the opening two minutes. Catarina Macario saw her initial effort blocked but was able to keep the ball alive before lofting an effort over Twente goalkeeper Olivia Clark.
Chelsea had a massive chance to double their lead after 13 minutes but Erin Cuthbert could only blaze her effort over the bar from close-range after a great cross from Eve Perisset.
FC Twente scored an equaliser when Kayleigh van Dooren stroked home her penalty after Charlotte Hulst was fouled by Maika Hamano but the Dutch side were not level for long, with Chelsea responding just a minute later.
Oriane Jean-Francois did well down the left-hand side before firing an effort towards the near post which, with the help of a deflection, found the back of the net.
The hosts got their third just five minutes later, with Mayra Rodriguez lofting home a spectacular effort from distance after spotting Twente goalkeeper Clark off her line.
Chelsea scored a fourth just three minutes later with Twente once again punished for playing out from the back. Cuthbert latched onto a loose pass before firing an effort on goal which Clark saved before Twente defender Anna Knol fired into her own goal with an attempted clearance.
Bompastor’s side picked up where they left off in the second period, with substitute Sjoeke Nusken heading home just two minutes into the half to put Chelsea 5-1 up.
Chelsea completely dominated the second half, toying with Twente and getting forward in numbers at every opportunity. And Eve Perisset put the icing on the cake five minutes from time when she struck home from 10-yards out to make it 6-1.
Chelsea go into their final group match against Real Madrid knowing a draw would be enough to secure top spot in Group B. For Twente, it’s another big defeat in what has been a tough campaign.
Talking Point – Flawless Chelsea march on
You’d have been forgiven for thinking that Chelsea would have needed somewhat of a transition period after losing their legendary manager Emma Hayes at the end of last season, but this season they have been nothing short of sensational under Bompastor.
Tonight was their fifth win from five in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this term, a campaign that has seen them score 16 goals – an average of 3.2 goals per game. This victory means that the Blues go into their final UEFA Women’s Champions League group match against Real Madrid knowing a draw would be enough to see them finish top of Group B.
Across all competitions, Bompastor has won all of her 14 matches in charge of Chelsea, with her side keeping seven clean sheets in the process.
As we head into the festive period, the Blues are top of the Women’s Super League, top of their Champions League group and scoring goals for fun. It truly has been a dream start to life in West London for the French coach.
Player of the Match – Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea)
In truth, several Chelsea players could have been chosen tonight, such was the quality of their performance but Cuthbert was sensational.
She was dangerous on the ball, creating chances and making things happen for Chelsea, kept her side moving forward with her passing and without the ball she was equally brilliant, making four tackles and winning seven of her nine duels.
Her goal to make it 4-1 was the icing on the cake for Cuthbert in what was a great display from the 26-year-old.
Player Ratings
Chelsea: Musovic 7, Perisset 8, Bjorn 6, Bright 7, Charles 7, Cuthbert 9, Jean Francois 7, Hamano 7, Macario 8, Beever-Jones 7, Ramirez 8 Subs: Kaptein 7, Nusken 8, Reiten 7, Lawrence 6, Brown 6
FC Twente: Clark 5, Tuin 5, Carleer 5, Knol 5, Vliek 5, Van Dooren 6, Van Ginkel 6, Peddemors 6, Ravensbergen 6, Hulst 7, Van Dijk 6 Subs: Everaerts 6, Te Brake 6, Ivens 6, Diekman 6, Proost 6
Match Highlights
3’ GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 FC TWENTE (MACARIO) – Chelsea have taken the lead inside the opening three minutes! It looked as though the chance had gone when her shot was blocked but she controlled the rebound with her knee to give herself a better angle before lofting the ball over the goalkeeper.
13’ OVER THE BAR FROM CUTHBERT! – Chelsea really should be 2-0 up. The ball is floated in from Perisset to an unmarked Erin Cuthbert who leans back and blazes her effort well over the bar.
29’ GOAL! CHELSEA 1-1 FC TWENTE (VAN DOOREN) – Twente are level! Kayleigh van Dooren steps up and fires her penalty past Musovic. The Chelsea keeper guessed the right way but van Dooren’s effort was too well struck.
30’ GOAL! CHELSEA 2-1 FC TWENTE (JEAN-FRANCOIS) – Twente were only level for a matter of seconds! Jean-Francois drives into the box with the ball before striking an effort which takes a deflection off a Twente defender and flies in past Clark at the near post.
35’ GOAL! CHELSEA 3-1 FC TWENTE (RAMIREZ) – What a goal from Mayra Ramirez! The Chelsea player spotted goalkeeper Olivia Clark off her line and fired in a stunning effort from distance.
38’ GOAL! CHELSEA 4-1 FC TWENTE (KNOL – OWN GOAL) – That is surely all three points for Chelsea and we are only 38 minutes in! FC Twente once again try to play out from the back and get it horribly wrong. Cuthbert latches onto the ball, fires her effort on goal which is saved by Clark but Knol turns the ball into her own net with an attempted clearance.
47’ GOAL! CHELSEA 5-1 FC TWENTE (NUSKEN) – Chelsea have started this second half as they did the first with an early goal! Hamano dinks a cross to the back post and Nusken is there to head home past Clark.
71’ CLARK WITH A BIG SAVE! – Beever-Jones does brilliantly to slip in Guru Reiten who fires an effort on goal but her effort his saved brilliantly by Clark.
85’ GOAL! CHELSEA 6-1 FC TWENTE (PERISSET) – Chelsea have a sixth! Twente goalkeeper Clark pushes the corner away but Perisset was waiting to slam home her effort to make it six.
Key Stat
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has won all 14 of her matches across all competitions in charge of the Blues.
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