Sam Kerr scored four goals as Chelsea recorded an emphatic victory over Albanian visitors Vllaznia to extend their lead at the top of their Women’s Champions League group.
Kerr opened the scoring after just 10 minutes and was later set up three times by midfielder Guro Reiten, while team-mate Pernille Harder grabbed a hat-trick.
Norwegian Reiten, making her 100th appearance for Chelsea, also teed up Harder for a fourth assist, while Katerina Svitkova scored her first goal for the club.
Victory gave Chelsea a two-point lead at the top of Group A over Real Madrid, who drew 0-0 with Paris St-Germain in the earlier match.
Chelsea, finalists in 2020-21, failed to progress from the group stages in a disappointing campaign last season but have made a strong start to this year’s competition.
They backed up their impressive victory over Paris St-Germain last week with a comfortable win at Kingsmeadow, against opponents cheered on by 420 fans travelling as part of Vllaznia’s official supporters’ allocation.
“It was always going to be important to follow-up last week’s result in Paris. We did that very convincingly,” said Chelsea general manager Paul Green.
“It puts us in a good position in the group but there’s still a long way to go as it’s only matchweek two. There’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure we go through to the latter stages.
“We have made a great start though.”
The Albanian fans – despite being outnumbered in the overall crowd of 3,022 – were in terrific voice as they supported their side, competing in the group stages of the Women’s Champions League for the first time.
They chanted throughout, cheering Chelsea’s missed chances and waving flags before throwing a flare on to the field and causing a brief stop in play late on.
“I loved it. I thought it was awesome. I thought about stirring them up but didn’t want them to take it the wrong way,” Kerr joked.
“I think that’s what makes football so great. When I scored the second goal down there, I was thinking about it… I thought they were excellent.”
However, it was Chelsea who dominated on the pitch, with Kerr and Harder in clinical form and Reiten heavily involved in creation.
Substitute Svitkova joined in on the action when she headed in her first goal in Chelsea colours since signing from West Ham in the summer.
This was Chelsea’s third match in a week and they made seven changes from their Women’s Super League victory over Brighton on Sunday.
Kerr was able to come off having scored four goals in just over an hour, while England international Fran Kirby made a welcome return off the bench after recovering from illness.
Chelsea host Aston Villa in their next Women’s Super League match on Sunday and they welcome Real Madrid in their next Champions League game on 23 November.
