Sam Kerr celebrated her long-awaited return to Chelsea’s starting XI with a brace of goals in a 6-0 Women’s Champions League rout of St Polten on Wednesday (AEDT).
It was the Matildas captain’s first Chelsea start in 692 days after tearing her ACL in January last year.
Kerr played the full match in Austria and slotted her first goal past the goalkeeper in the 75th minute before scoring with her head in added time.
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Sam Kerr of Chelsea scores her team’s fourth goal. Getty
Kerr was asked whether goals felt different since her comeback.
“It feels a bit sweeter, but it also feels a bit weird,” Kerr told Disney+.
“I didn’t score for so long that I’m still… I haven’t celebrated really, so I haven’t got that celebration thing yet. I’m still just like ‘oh, happy to score.’ I’ve got to score a few more…
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Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates scoring her team’s sixth goal. Getty
“It feels good. It felt like I had to work myself into it but yeah, happy to score. I’m just happy to be back out here playing in the Champions League again with an amazing team. I’m relishing every moment.”
Catarina Macario also grabbed a double for Chelsea while Wieke Kaptein and an own goal from Lisa Ebert completed the scoring.
Elsewhere, Caroline Weir scored a dramatic late goal for Real Madrid to salvage a 1-1 draw with Paris FC.
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Weir scored in the eighth minute of added time – there were only supposed to be six – to deny Paris another win in Madrid with the visitors desperately trying to hold on after Lorena Azzaro had scored a penalty before the break.
The French team had won 1-0 with a penalty in 2023, when it completed home and away wins over the Spanish club.
Madrid dominated the opening half hour with Linda Caicedo hitting the crossbar after working her way through a host of defenders, and goalkeeper Mylene Chavas denying an effort from Naomie Feller.
But Filippa Angeldahl was penalised for a foul on substitute Sheika Scott and Azzaro dispatched Paris’ penalty in the 41st minute.
The home team’s frustration grew as its second half pressure failed to yield a dividend with Caicedo drawing a good save from Chavas, who went on to make more stops.
Goalkeeper Misa RodrÃguez was booked after complaining about a questionable referee’s decision.
Weir finally made a chance count at the last when she squeezed the ball past the otherwise faultless Chavas.
“The performance was decent enough. We just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net,” the Scotland star said.
Lyon delivers statement
Aga Hegerberg grabbed two goals five minutes apart in the first half and captain Wendie Renard scored a penalty as eight time champion Lyon dismissed Wolfsburg’s challenge by dominating from start to finish in a 3-1 win.
Lineth Beerensteyn scored the German team’s consolation goal.
It was Lyon’s seventh straight win over Wolfsburg as Renard became the first player to clock 100 wins in UEFA competitions.
Hegerberg extended her record as the competition’s top scorer, taking her tally to 69 goals.
Valerenga’s historic win
Stine Brekken scored and Valerenga held on to celebrate an unprecedented 1-0 win for the Oslo club away to Roma.
Roma made the better start before the visitors grew in confidence with Sara Horte hitting the post with a deflected header in the 34th minute.
Brekken, a 20-year-old midfielder, scored six minutes later when she eluded a defender with a smart turn and surged forward past more static defenders before firing the ball inside the top left corner.
“We have been fighting so long to get better and to get some points here in Champions League. So to finally get that is a really, really good feeling for the team,” Brekken said.