Chelsea Thrash St. Pölten, Cement champions League Position
St. Pölten, Austria – Chelsea Women delivered a resounding performance, defeating SKN St. Pölten 6-0 in their UEFA Women’s Champions League clash on Wednesday. The victory propels Chelsea into second place in Group A, setting the stage for a crucial run of fixtures.
A brace each from Sam Kerr and Catarina Macario spearheaded the Blues’ attack, with Wieke Kaptein and a deflected goal from substitute Lauren James completing the rout.The match showcased Chelsea’s attacking prowess, with a staggering 43 attempts on goal throughout the 90 minutes.
Returning to the starting lineup for the first time as 2023, Sam Kerr marked her comeback with two goals, though she had earlier opportunities to add to her tally. Chelsea took the lead within the first 15 minutes through Kaptein,before Macario doubled the advantage just before halftime,establishing a comfortable cushion.
Macario further extended Chelsea’s lead shortly after the restart, converting a penalty to make it 3-0. Kerr finally found the back of the net in the 75th minute, relieving any lingering frustration from earlier missed chances. James, making her first appearance as the UEFA European Championship final, then saw her shot deflected in off Lisa Ebert for Chelsea’s fifth.
Kerr rounded off the scoring in added time, adding a sixth goal to cap off a dominant display. Despite the scoreline, St. Pölten’s goalkeeper, Carina Schluter, delivered a commendable performance, making a series of extraordinary saves to limit the damage.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor will be pleased with her side’s clinical finishing and overall control of the match. The team now turns its attention to a domestic challenge, facing Liverpool in the WSL this sunday.
For St. Pölten, the search for their first point – and goal – in this year’s Champions League continues. They remain at the bottom of the group after three matches, facing an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages.
