Women's Champions League round-up: Bayern, Häcken and Roma win, Kerr shines for Chelsea
Thursday, November 23, 2023
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Matchday 2 in the UEFA Women's Champions League concluded on Thursday with some thrilling encounters.
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Bayern beat Paris Saint-Germain, Häcken stunned Real Madrid, Roma were too strong for Ajax and Sam Kerr was the star of the show for Chelsea on an intriguing night of Women's Champions League action as Matchday 2 of the group stage concluded.
UEFA.com rounds up all the action.
Click on any scoreline to look back at all the action as it happened and watch highlights from midnight CET.
Group C
Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Bayern
Magdalena Eriksson's close-range finish proved enough for Bayern to seal their first Group C win and condemn Paris to successive defeats.
Eriksson prodded in Glódís Viggósdóttir's looping header following a set piece midway through the first half, the summer signing from Chelsea registering her second Bayern goal in as many matches.
Tabitha Chawinga went closest for the home side, but Bayern keeper Maria-Luisa Grohs was equal to the low strike.
Key stat: Eriksson's winner was her first goal in this competition since scoring for Linköping in November 2014.
Roma 3-0 Ajax
Valentina Giacinti struck twice in the first 14 minutes as Roma moved top of Group C. The Roma forward broke the deadlock with only five minutes played, firing in first time from a tight angle, and doubled the advantage nine minutes later, pouncing on defensive uncertainty for her second.
Manuela Giugliano's 47th-minute volley effectively quashed any Ajax hopes of a comeback, although visiting substitute Lotte Keukelaar did shoot against the crossbar in their best moment.
Key stat: Roma have won their last nine home matches in all competitions.
14 December: Bayern vs Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain vs Roma
Group D
Chelsea 4-1 Paris FC
Sam Kerr's hat-trick – including a stunning lob for her third goal – helped Chelsea overcome a spirited Paris side at Stamford Bridge.
The Australian international latched on to a clever Lauren James pass to open the scoring from close range, before Théa Greboval levelled via a looping header from Gaëtane Thiney's corner.
Kerr restored the Chelsea lead three minutes after half-time from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's fine cross, before claiming the match ball in impressive fashion seven minutes later.
Substitute Sophie Ingle added a fourth late on, meeting an Ève Périsset corner with a crisp volley.
Key stat: Kerr recorded her second Women's Champions League hat-trick, having scored four times against Vllaznia on Matchday 2 in last season's group stage.
Häcken 2-1 Real Madrid
Katariina Kosola's superb curling effort secured a memorable comeback victory for Häcken as they made it two wins out of two to go clear at the top of Group D.
It looked like it could be a difficult night for the Swedish side when Signe Bruun gave the visitors an early lead after finishing from a rebound. Olga Carmona also hit the post late on in the first half as Las Blancas dominated.
But Häcken were a team transformed in the second period, Rosa Kafaji equalising after pouncing on a loose ball in the box and lashing in before Kosola sealed the turnaround with her strike in the 77th minute.
Key stat: Häcken have already picked up more points than they managed in their only previous Women's Champions League group stage appearance in 2021/22, where they won one game and lost the other five.
14 December: Paris FC vs Real Madrid, Chelsea vs Häcken