Kerr scores first of season as Chelsea go top

Sam Kerr has now been involved in eight Women’s Super League goals against West Ham - seven goals and one assist

Sam Kerr’s first goal of the season helped reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea beat West Ham to move top of the table.

Having had a goal ruled out for offside, the Australian opened the scoring in the 36th minute.

Unmarked at the back post, she leapt to head in a cross from Niamh Charles, who was found by England forward Fran Kirby on her first start since February following a knee injury that ruled her out of the Women’s World Cup.

Lauren James had a glorious chance to double the hosts’ lead from another excellent pass from the impressive Kirby, but Hammers goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold saved the strike with her legs.

But substitute Erin Cuthbert secured the three points with a goal in the first minute of added time with a low shot.

The victory extends six-time WSL champions Chelsea’s amazing home run, with this being their 17th successive win in the competition. They have not dropped points at either Kingsmeadow or Stamford Bridge since a goalless draw with Arsenal in February 2022.

West Ham have now not beaten Chelsea in their 11 WSL meetings, although they had chances to equalise when 1-0 behind.

Emma Harries fired off target, Viviane Asseyi headed wide, Riko Ueki had an effort deflected behind and Kirsty Smith had a shot tipped over by Blues keeper Zecira Musovic.

• Chelsea v West Ham as it happened, plus reaction and analysis

England’s Kirby impresses on first start in eight months after injury

Chelsea, aiming for a fifth successive WSL title, began the day fifth and their time at the top may only last until Sunday as the four teams that were above them - Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United - are all in action.

Nevertheless, boss Emma Hayes will be delighted as they maintained their unbeaten start from the opening three matches of their title defence.

The biggest plus for Hayes, however, will be the return to the starting 11 of Kerr, the club’s top scorer in each of the past three seasons, and Kirby, Chelsea’s all-time leading scorer.

Fran Kirby (pictured with Hawa Cissoko) was successful with 93.9% of her passes, made one successful dribble, had one shot, won three of five duels, won possession eight times (including three in the final third), won both her tackles and made one interception

On Friday, Hayes spoke of the need to be careful with both players on their returns after injury problems.

But, with Mia Fishel and Guro Reiten, whose 96th-minute equaliser earned Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Manchester City last week, both out injured, Kerr and Kirby started and Hayes’ faith was rewarded with excellent performances from both.

Kerr has been plagued with a calf injury that she sustained just before the World Cup in her home country, missing the opening two matches, but returning to start and score in Australia’s 3-1 semi-final loss to England.

She was a substitute against Manchester City and looked a constant threat against West Ham before grabbing her 55th goal in 69 WSL games with the opener.

Kirby had not started since the Continental Cup semi-final on 9 February when she scored in Chelsea’s 7-0 win at West Ham, before she limped off just before half-time.

Her knee injury proved to be a persistent problem and needed surgery, which ruled her out of the FA Cup final at Wembley, the conclusion to last season’s title race and then the World Cup.

But Lionesses fans would be delighted to see Kirby performing well, with her clever passing and wonderful ability to slide the ball through the West Ham defence.

She was replaced after 56 minutes, but this was another step forward in her progression from an injury that kept her out of action for nearly eight months.

Player of the match

CuthbertErin Cuthbert

with an average of 8.79

• Chelsea Women
• West Ham United Women

Chelsea Women

1. Squad number22Player nameCuthbert

2. Squad number14Player nameKirby

3. Squad number20Player nameKerr

4. Squad number21Player nameCharles

5. Squad number7Player nameCarter

6. Squad number8Player nameLeupolz

7. Squad number4Player nameBright

8. Squad number17Player nameFleming

9. Squad number1Player nameMusovic

10. Squad number33Player nameBeever-Jones

11. Squad number10Player nameJames

12. Squad number12Player nameLawrence

13. Squad number5Player nameIngle

14. Squad number6Player nameNüsken

15. Squad number18Player nameMjelde

West Ham United Women

1. Squad number1Player nameArnold

2. Squad number7Player nameEvans

3. Squad number12Player nameHarries

4. Squad number9Player nameUeki

5. Squad number21Player nameCooke

6. Squad number20Player nameAsseyi

7. Squad number3Player nameShimizu

8. Squad number18Player nameDenton

9. Squad number23Player nameCissoko

10. Squad number19Player nameHayashi

11. Squad number2Player nameSmith

12. Squad number5Player nameTysiak

13. Squad number11Player nameAtkinson

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Chelsea Women

Formation 3-4-3

• 1Musovic
• 4Bright
• 18Mjelde
• 7Carter
• 12Lawrence
• 8Leupolz Booked at 18mins
• 5IngleSubstituted forCuthbertat 56’minutes
• 21Charles
• 10JamesSubstituted forFlemingat 78’minutes
• 20KerrSubstituted forBeever-Jonesat 78’minutes
• 14KirbySubstituted forNüskenat 56’minutes

Substitutes

• 6Nüsken
• 15Périsset
• 17Fleming
• 19Rytting Kaneryd
• 22Cuthbert
• 26Buchanan
• 28Cankovic
• 30Berger
• 33Beever-Jones

West Ham Women

Formation 3-4-3

• 1Arnold
• 2Smith
• 23Cissoko Booked at 34mins Substituted forTysiakat 89’minutes
• 21Cooke
• 18Denton
• 19Hayashi
• 3Shimizu
• 7Evans
• 12HarriesSubstituted forAtkinsonat 65’minutes
• 9Ueki
• 20Asseyi

Substitutes

• 4Stringer
• 5Tysiak
• 11Atkinson
• 17Filis
• 25Walsh
• 35Ademiluyi
• 41Flannery

Referee: Stacey Pearson

Attendance: 3,313

Match Stats

Live Text

1. Match ends, Chelsea Women 2, West Ham United Women 0.

2. Second Half ends, Chelsea Women 2, West Ham United Women 0.

3. Attempt missed. Millie Bright (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Erin Cuthbert with a cross following a corner.

4. Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Mackenzie Arnold.

5. Attempt saved. Agnes Beever-Jones (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Sjoeke Nüsken.

6. Goal! Chelsea Women 2, West Ham United Women 0. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jessie Fleming.

7. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

8. Foul by Izzy Atkinson (West Ham United Women).

9. Delay over. They are ready to continue.

10. Substitution, West Ham United Women. Amber Tysiak replaces Hawa Cissoko because of an injury.

11. Delay in match because of an injury Hawa Cissoko (West Ham United Women).

12. Attempt saved. Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Erin Cuthbert.

13. Foul by Niamh Charles (Chelsea Women).

14. Viviane Asseyi (West Ham United Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

15. Maren Mjelde (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

16. Foul by Izzy Atkinson (West Ham United Women).

17. Attempt missed. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Melanie Leupolz.

18. Attempt blocked. Maren Mjelde (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

19. Substitution, Chelsea Women. Jessie Fleming replaces Lauren James.

20. Substitution, Chelsea Women. Agnes Beever-Jones replaces Sam Kerr.