Sam Kerr’s all-action Chelsea debut yielded everything but a goal as Emma Hayes’s side came from behind at home to Reading.
“It was pretty high-paced,” said the forward of her introduction to the Women’s Super League just over a week after landing in London. “I’ve been a bit rusty coming back from a break but I always want to start.”
The Australian provided her first assist in a Chelsea shirt, for Beth England, and was responsible for Reading’s reduction in their numbers after Grace Moloney was shown red for taking out the NWSL and W-League record goalscorer. Second-half goals from Guro Reiten and the substitute Erin Cuthbert ensured the Blues keep pace in the title race after Fara Williams had given Reading an early lead.
After the game Kerr highlighted the devastating bushfires ravaging her home country. “It has been really tough. You feel quite helpless over here. Hopefully it can gain the media coverage it deserves like other natural disasters,” she said. “It is really sad and tough but hopefully everyone at home has had some rain overnight and it gets better.”
Hayes was keen to praise the attitude of her recruit. “She’s a doll,” she said in her best faux-Aussie voice. “She’s humble, hardworking, honest, thoughtful. An unbelievable team player, she cares about what the team think of her and she will work and do her job for the team at any point. You have top players but to have a top player who is a top person? Happy days.”
Women's Super League roundup
Ebony Salmon punished her former club Manchester United as Bristol City earned their first league win of the season. The 18-year-old’s run from the left was followed by a finish past Mary Earps to lift City off the foot of the table. Liverpool replace them after losing 1-0 at Brighton, Aileen Whelan the scorer. Arsenal maintained their three-point lead at the top – Kim Little’s header and a half-volley from Jordan Nobbs sealing a 2-0 win over Birmingham. Manchester City stayed one point ahead of Chelsea with a 4-1 win over Tottenham. Two goals from Pauline Bremer and one each from Ellen White and Lauren Hemp cancelled out Rianna Dean's penalty.
It took only two minutes for Kerr to find herself clean through and yet, having taken a touch to set herself up, the prolific striker skied her shot over the bar. New club nerves perhaps? “I was nervous,” said Kerr, grinning, who has an ability to peel off the shoulder of defenders like no other. “It was my first one on one in a few months. I haven’t been playing much so I was nervous. But it will come, get the jitters out and it’s only my first game. I can go from here.”
Talk before her arrival about whether the in-form England would lose out was quickly fast answered when the pair were handed starting berths alongside each other in a 4-1-3-2 designed to get the best out of both. “Two years ago,” joked Hayes when asked when she had decided to start Kerr.
And it was the new strike partnership that would find the equaliser after Williams’ opener. “Oh what a backheel,” purred Hayes, of the pass to England, who then rounded the stand-in goalkeeper Rachael Laws to score. “It’s exciting to see the pair of them together and I’m sure they’re happy to get the first one out the way.”
The celebrations from the forward looked full of the relief of a player who has had to field and dodge questions about the threat of Kerr to her own position since the latter’s signing was announced in November. “It’s nice playing with Beth,” said Kerr. “I feel like we’ve just connected really quickly. She’s a quality player and hopefully she can keep scoring because we need her.”
What one of the hottest forward lines in the league could not hide though is a defensive fragility.
One minute after Williams had swept low past Ann-Katrin Berger, Kerr sprung to life up the other end. Catching some hesitation between Jo Potter and her goalkeeper, Moloney, the forward swept across the edge of the box, nicking the ball ahead of the keeper, who clattered into her and handled the ball outside the box at the same time, earning a red card.
In the second half an excellent Laws was helpless as, after blocking a Kerr effort with her legs, the ball looped to the feet of Reiten on the edge of the box and her side-footed volley flew over her into an otherwise unguarded net.
Chelsea extended their lead with 15 minutes to play, Jonna Andersson flying down the left and volleying a cross on to the head of England. Laws did well to keep the shot out but Cuthbert was first to the loose ball to kill the game.
