Emma Hayes’s Chelsea finished 2023 on a high with a professional victory against a stubborn BK Häcken that showed all of their experience. Goals from Sam Kerr and two from Erin Cuthbert took them top of Group D in the Champions League.
This trip to Gothenburg was one final hurdle for Chelsea to overcome before the winter break. They had endured a frustrating evening against the same opposition last week, dominating but lacking execution in a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge. It was an encounter that would have made Hayes’s side wary of complacency. The Swedish team have enjoyed an impressive campaign and came in sitting two points above their opponents.
Chelsea returned to winning ways in the league against Bristol City on Sunday after a challenging week of inconsistent results and a bout of illness in the camp. Hayes made three changes to the side that had started in the WSL. Kadeisha Buchanan came into central defence while Zecira Musovic started in goal. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, meanwhile, returned to familiar surroundings, having enjoyed two seasons with Häcken before signing for Chelsea in August 2022.
Mak Lind, made two changes to his team as Monica Allonia Jusu Bah and Filippa Curmark came in. The latter captained the side on her 100th appearance in yellow and black.
As expected, Häcken proved more ambitious this time. Despite Chelsea’s control in the opening minutes, they produced the first real chance of the game when Anna Anvegard’s angled shot hit the crossbar.
It was the wake-up call Chelsea needed as they began to attack with purpose. Lauren James’s direct running and ability to keep the ball stuck to her feet were causing problems and she had a trademark effort tipped over by Jennifer Falk.
Chelsea found their breakthrough in the 14th minute when Rytting Kaneryd escaped her defender to feed Kerr at the near post. The Australian forward struck the ball with no hesitation for her fifth of the campaign.
Häcken were not going to give up without a fight and came back with intent. While their willingness to attack left them vulnerable defensively, their enthusiasm going forward paid off. Their equaliser came when a direct long ball found Jusu Bah breaking. She turned in the cross for Clarissa Larisey to head home.
Quick Guide
WCL: Real Madrid crash out, Ajax edge Bayern Munich
Show
Real Madrid‘s hopes of reaching the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals are over after they fell to a 1-0 home defeat in Group D against Paris FC, who followed up their 2-1 victory last week. Gaetane Thiney [pictured] scored the winner from the penalty spot, producing a nerveless Panenka finish 11 minutes from time to earn victory.
The result leaves Real with a solitary point from four games. The Spanish side face Chelsea next but with Häcken facing Paris next, they are guaranteed to go out in the group stages for the second straight year. Paris FC have six points, one behind Häcken and two behind leaders Chelsea.
Ajax emerged victorious from a battle with Bayern Munich to go top of Group C with two rounds of matches to go. Romee Leuchter scored the only goal just before half-time, finishing clinically into the bottom corner after the visiting defence failed to close her down.
Bayern pushed forward in the second half but failed to regularly trouble Ajax keeper Regina van Eijk, with Lina Magull firing a chance wide in stoppage time. Defeat at the Johan Cruyff Arena leaves Bayern third in the group, two points behind the Dutch champions.
PSG are a point above Bayern in second after a welcome 3-1 victory at Roma. Grace Geyoro set up Tabitha Chawinga for the opener after 26 minutes, before finding Marie-Antoinette Katoto in the area to make it 2-0 midway through the second half.
Korbin Albert’s volley made it three before Manuela Giugliano pulled one back for the hosts from a free kick. The Italian side are bottom with four points, and host Bayern on 24 January before going to Ajax the following week. PSG host Ajax and visit Bayern in their final two games.
The Blues responded once more but the brilliance of Falk in goal denied both Sophie Ingle and James and they went in with it all to play for at the break. The sense of deja-vu was palpable at the start of the second half as Anvegard frustratingly hit the crossbar for the second time.
The sound of the rattling woodwork seemed to spark Chelsea into life once again. They put their noses back in front minutes later when their high press forced the hosts back. Turning over possession, they advanced on Häcken’s box with a fine passing move before working the ball superbly to Cuthbert. The Scottish midfielder took one touch to set herself before drilling it precisely past Falk.
after newsletter promotion
With Hayes’s side continuing their pressure, Falk was called into action with a diving fingertip stop to deny James again. The performance of the hosts’ goalkeeper did little to dent Chelsea’s flow, however, and with just under half an hour to play Cuthbert doubled their advantage. It was a dazzling display of footwork that enabled her to surge into the box, ride the incoming challenge before shooting with aplomb for her third goal in four days.
The strike sucked the life out of Häcken’s resistance and audibly quietened the incredibly vocal section of home fans. James and Rytting Kaneryd continued to poke holes in their defence as the hosts dropped deeper into their own half.
Häcken troubled Chelsea little in the closing stages but will have felt aggrieved when Molly Johansson’s superb header was ruled out for offside. It looked a questionable decision in real time and replays proved that she was in fact on.
Nevertheless, it was a display that encapsulated Hayes’s “mentality monsters”, a clear illustration of their quality and ability to find a way when challenged. The victory meant that the English champions could go into the winter break safe in the knowledge that they sit top both domestically and in Europe.
