Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes believes her side showed they have “closed the gap” on Europe’s elite in their 2-1 win against Wolfsburg on Wednesday.
Goals from Sam Kerr and the Pernille Harder gave the Blues victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
It was their first win in seven attempts against the German champions, who knocked them out three times between 2016 and 2018.
Chelsea were under the cosh in the first half but Wolfsburg were wasteful, momentum swung after the break and second-half strikes from Kerr and Harder put the WSL ahead.
Dominique Janssen pulled a goal back for Wolfsburg but Chelsea have a small advantage going into the second leg next Wednesday.
“We’ve closed the gap, which is what my first curiosity was,” said Hayes.
Both legs of the last-eight tie are being played in Budapest because coronavirus travel restrictions in Germany. Chelsea will be the away team for the second leg next week.
Hayes said: “They are still a top team. I learnt that you have to suffer in moments, but the first leg is always about staying in the tie, that is what it is, there is no home advantage for either team, and I am left feeling like the advantage is with them, because they have got the away goal.”
