Sam Kerr is back on the goalscoring trail — but her Matildas pal Mackenzie Arnold must have been left ruing the fact that her teammate was tormenting her again in the Women’s Super League.
Key points:
- Sam Kerr scores her first goal since the World Cup semifinal screamer against England
- The goal was Kerr’s 11th against West Ham in her career
- Chelsea won the game 2-0, and have started their campaign strongly in pursuit of a fifth straight title
In her first full match of the season for Chelsea and now seemingly fully recovered from the injury that disrupted her World Cup, Kerr headed home past Arnold in the West Ham goal to set the champions on the road to a 2-0 victory at their Kingsmeadow stronghold.
The last time Kerr had found the net was with her screaming shot from distance against England in the World Cup semi-final defeat.
But after missing the opening game of this season, still feeling the effects of her calf woes, and then coming on as a sub against Manchester City last week, the 30-year-old demonstrated she was really back in business with a typical headed bullet.
She had already had a goal disallowed for offside when she struck in the 36th minute to break the deadlock against a stubborn defence well marshalled by Arnold.
After Fran Kirby had finally unlocked the rearguard with a neat pass, Niamh Charles crossed with pinpoint accuracy to allow Kerr to steal in and give the Matildas keeper no chance.
It was not an unfamiliar feeling for Arnold, who made several fine saves during the game, as Kerr has now scored 11 goals against West Ham — including seven in the WSL — to make the east London side her favourite victims down the years.
Her 55th goal in 69 WSL games also kicked off Kerr’s bid to regain her Golden Boot as the league’s leading scorer, which she won in two straight seasons before losing her title to Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly in the 2022-23 campaign.
Kerr eventually was given a breather in the 77th minute with her replacement Jessie Fleming also showing her worth in the dying seconds by freeing Erin Cuthbert, who slotted home to complete the win that puts Chelsea top of the league before Sunday’s main WSL programme.
Going for a fifth straight title, the win also extends Chelsea’s amazing home record, with a 17th straight win. They haven’t dropped a point at either Kingsmeadow or Stamford Bridge since drawing with Arsenal in February last year.
Chelsea have seven points from three games but could be replaced at the top on Sunday when Leicester City, on six points, travel to Manchester United and third-placed Liverpool, also on six, host Everton in the Merseyside derby.
AAP
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