BK Häcken Women vs Chelsea Women. Women's Champions League Group D.
Bravida Arena.
Match report as Erin Cuthbert's second-half double helped Chelsea take control of Group D in the Women's Champions League; Sam Kerr was also on target for the Blues; Emma Hayes' side are now top their group, displacing Hacken, who drop to second
Thursday 21 December 2023 12:14, UK
Erin Cuthbert's second-half double fired Chelsea to a 3-1 victory over BK Hacken to send Emma Hayes' side top of Women's Champions League Group D.
A week on from a frustrating 0-0 stalemate with the Swedish side at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were much improved, despite being pegged back shortly after Sam Kerr's 14th minute opener.
Clarissa Larisey levelled in spectacular style 12 minutes later, directing a bullet header beyond Zecira Musovic at her near post from a pinpoint Monica Jusu Bah cross, before the Blues clicked into better gear after the break.
If the first period was characterised by possession without penetration, the second was altogether different as Cuthbert showed poise and precision to ensure Chelsea rounded off the calendar year with a welcome win.
The midfielder picked her spot in the 51st minute and drilled an angled effort into the far corner before dancing her way into the box 15 minutes later, linking smartly with Kerr, and rifling beneath Jennifer Falk.
The hosts did have the ball in the back of the net in second-half stoppage time via a beautiful looping header from Molly Johansson, which was chalked off for offside, only for replays to reveal the substitute was a yard on - VAR is not active in women's European competition.
Hayes had warned her players pre-match that there were no excuses despite this being their fourth competitive engagement in 10 days.
Only four minutes were on the clock when Anna Anvegard hit the crossbar from Larisey's cross, but Chelsea regrouped as Kerr broke the deadlock with her ninth goal of the campaign, applying a deft first-time finish to Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's cross.
The visitors were then caught out by the pace of Hacken on the break when Jusu Bah escaped wide left and whipped a perfect cross towards Larisey to power home.
The second half began in a similar vein to the first, with Anvegard rattling the crossbar for the second time, serving as the wake-up call Chelsea needed to spring into life.
Minutes later Rytting Kaneryd's cross was cleared to Ingle, who showed composure to pick out Cuthbert and the Scotland international buried the ball in the bottom corner.
It was Cuthbert's first goal in this season's Champions League and she doubled her tally again before a productive night's work was out.
Chelsea lead the way with eight points from four matches played before meeting Real Madrid, who can no longer qualify, on January 24 while Hacken are a point behind in second.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, speaking to chelseafc.com:
"She [Cuthbert] was my player of the match, I thought she was outstanding. She was outstanding in the second half particularly.
"She was the player I wanted a little bit higher in the play, so I encouraged that at half-time. She knew the areas we wanted her to get into, she got into those areas and she got two goals. We know she's capable of that.
"I felt the first half was a little laboured by us. We were static in our movement, there were positional adjustments we made at half-time to correct some of that and encourage the players to be a bit more dynamic with their rotations.
"I thought we did do that in the second half. I think we controlled the second half. It was not perfect and they created chances, but overall I think we were dominant and we deserved to win.
"They're a very organised team. You could see that they are very comfortable playing at this ground. They scored a goal when we were down to 10 players and there was a 10-minute period in the first half when I felt we lost momentum and they were a threat in transition.
"The goal was just a simple ball in behind, I thought we defended it really poorly, we were late. But they never stopped, they created chances and I thought the late goal was onside. That's what happens when you switch off because you're comfortable in the game.
"It was a tough pitch to play on and a really good crowd, they make a great atmosphere. It was an enjoyable game with two good football teams and I'm delighted with the three points."
Chelsea's domestic and European duties are finished for 2023 as they enter the winter break. They are next in action on January 14 in the Women's FA Cup, facing West Ham, before returning to WSL commitments on January 21 against Manchester United.
