Match report: Chelsea 6-1 FC Twente
Another dominant display at Stamford Bridge saw the Blues score four times in the first half and secure a comfortable 6-1 win over FC Twente in our penultimate UEFA Women's Champions League group-stage fixture.
A superb close-range finish from Catarina Macario enabled Sonia Bompastor's side to take the lead after only two minutes but the visitors levelled the game midway through the opening period from the penalty spot.
There was an immediate response from the Blues as Oriane Jean-Francois netted her first Chelsea goal and our one-goal lead became two when two minutes later Mayra Ramirez produced a sensational finish from 35 yards. Now in complete control, the goals didn't stop and Erin Cuthbert struck our fourth before half-time.
Having been introduced at half-time for her 50th Chelsea appearance, Sjoeke Nusken celebrated the individual milestone by making it 5-1 two minutes after entering the pitch. And late in the contest, Eve Perisset rounded off the scoring with her second Blues goal.
The emphatic win means we extend our winning run to 14 consecutive matches across all competitions this term, with five of those coming in the Champions League. We sit top of Group B with 15 points ahead of our final clash of this stage against Real Madrid next week.
Plenty of goalsSeven changes were made for Twente's visit, with Zecira Musovic, Perisset, Niamh Charles Jean-Francois, Maika Hamano, Macario and Ramirez all introduced to the starting XI.
And Macario showcased why she had been given the nod when she put the Blues 1-0 up inside the opening two minutes. After breaking into space and linking up with Ramirez, the American forward saw her initial shot blocked before hitting the rebound on the half-volley and guiding it over the goalkeeper.
It should have been 2-0 moments later when Ramirez showed her strength and pace to beat her marker to carry the ball into the box, but her curled strike angled wide of the post rather than into the intended bottom corner of the net.
The home side soon fashioned another opportunity. Perriset sent an inviting ball into the box from the right which dropped to the right boot of Cuthbert, who could not keep her volleyed strike down and it went over the bar.
And at the other end, Twente's first chance called Musovic into action; Kayleigh Van Dooren got a shot away from the right-hand side which the Blues goalkeeper parried and Cuthbert cleared the danger.
Our next opportunity arrived when Aggie Beever-Jones showed tremendous pace to keep the ball in play down the left flank before she drove with it toward the box. The young forward unleashed a powerful drive that was saved by visiting goalkeeper Olivia Clark.
A penalty was awarded to the visitors in the 28th minute when Hamano was adjudged to have brought down Charlotte Hulst and Van Dooren made it 1-1 from the spot, dispatching it into the bottom corner beyond a diving Musovic.
Yet that only kickstarted the Blues into life and Jean-Francois opened her account for the Blues with a superb strike. The midfielder was picked out by Ramirez, wove beyond challenges in the box, and found the back of the net with a curled effort.
And having played her part in both our goals, Ramirez scored our third – and it was the pick of the bunch. Beever-Jones regained possession in Twente's half and found the Colombian, who hit a sensational lob from more than 35 yards over the despairing Clark. It was a remarkable finish.
The supporters inside Stamford Bridge had little time to appreciate that stunning strike as Cuthbert then made it 4-0. The midfielder punished the Twente goalkeeper for a misplaced pass and found the back of the net, with her strike aided by a deflection.
Another fast startThe second half started just as the first, as another goal arrived two minutes in. Nusken scored our fifth goal of the night - her third goal in two games after a brace against Brighton at the weekend - in the 47th minute with a headed finish from a corner.
There were chances to extend our advantage further before an hour was on the clock with Beever-Jones seeing an effort trail wide. Hamano also had a strike comfortably gathered by Clark in the Twente goal.
There was almost another immediate impact from one of Bompastor's substitutes as Academy graduate Lola Brown, who made her debut in our lasting UWCL outing at Stamford Bridge against Celtic, saw a shot well saved by the visiting goalkeeper.
The Blues continued to press for goal number six and the next opportunity fell to Guro Reiten who was picked out by a through ball from Beever-Jones. The Norwegian international was denied by Clark, who made the stop with her feet.
We again went close when Hamano found Kaptein, who seemed to have a clear shot on goal against her former club, but she selflessly squared the ball to Beever-Jones only for it to be smothered by the goalkeeper.
That sixth goal did arrive, however, and it was Perisset who scored it. The France international netted her first Chelsea goal in our previous Champions League match last month and made it two in two in the competition when she fired home from inside the box to round off the scoring.
What it meansWe remain top of Group B with a perfect 15 points from five games, having won each of our matches thus far in our Champions League campaign.
What nextThe Blues play their final WSL match of 2024 when we travel to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City where Bompastor's side will be looking to win a 10th consecutive league match this term.
Our final Champions League group-stage match is on Tuesday 17 December when we play Real Madrid at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium. The Blues will secure Group B's top spot if we successfully avoid defeat in Spain.
The teamsChelsea: Musovic; Perisset, Bright, Bjorn (Nusken 46), Charles (Lawrence 62); Cuthbert, Jean-Francois (Kaptein 44); Hamano, Macario (Brown 62), Beever-Jones; Ramirez (Reiten 46)
Unused substitutes: Hampton, Cox, Bronze, Rytting Kaneryd
Scorers: Macario 2, Jean-Francois 30, Ramirez 35, Cuthbert 38, Nusken 47, Perisset 85
Booked: Hamano 28
FC Twente: Clark; Vliek (Everaerts 61), Knol, Carleer (Proost 82), Tuin, Van Dooren, Van Ginkel (Te Brake 61), Peddemors, Hulst (Diekman 82), Van Dijk (Ivens 61), Ravensbergen
Unused substitutes: de Jong, Vissers, Andradottir, Verdaasdonk, Galic, Van Der Vegt
Scorers: Van Dooren 29