Guro Reiten’s 50th goal for Chelsea inspired the Blues to a 3-1 Champions League group stage victory over Dutch side FC Twente.
Aggie Beever-Jones fired the visitors into a seventh-minute lead in Enschede before a stunning long-range effort from Maika Hamano doubled their advantage before the break.
Reiten’s spot-kick made it three after the restart, but the visitors were able to claw a consolation back via Nikee van Dijk in the 68th minute.
Sonia Bompastor’s Women’s Super League champions occupy top spot in Group B after now making it two group stage wins from two.
There was a last-minute change to Bompastor’s line-up, with Johanna Rytting Kaneryd replacing Lauren James.
Beever-Jones quickly fired Chelsea in front with an effort from 20 yards out that took a deflection before going in.
Hamano added a second 11 minutes later, playing a one-two with Wieke Kaptein before launching the ball from a considerable distance.
Twente’s Olivia Clark had come off her line and the Japan international’s effort from 40 yards out sailed over the diving goalkeeper before dipping under the crossbar.
Hamano soon gave the ball away to allow the hosts a chance of their own, with Wolfsburg loanee Ella Peddemors trying to pull a goal back with a long-range effort of her own that sailed over the bar.
Twente were growing into the game and had their best chance of the opening half hour when van Dijk forced Zecira Musovic into a low save, while an unmarked Beever-Jones was off-target with a nodded effort from a corner.
The hosts were growing into the game but it was the Blues who continued to enjoy what few chances remained in the first half as Kaneryd looked to extend Chelsea’s advantage but fired directly at Clark.
Bompastor made two changes for the second half, bringing on Maelys Mpome for Kadeisha Buchanan, who passed the captain’s armband to Reiten, replacing Sandy Baltimore.
Chelsea had limited their opponents to a single shot on target before the break, but the home side added another when van Dijk launched an effort at Musovic from just inside the 18-yard box.
Hamano threatened again, this time directing an effort just wide of the right post before Bompastor swapped Oriane Jean-Francois for Erin Cuthbert and Kaneryd made way for Mayra Ramirez on the hour.
Twente had another chance when Kayleigh van Dooren sped forward, her run ultimately broken up by Nathalie Bjorn to deny her a shot, and the visitors found themselves further behind when Lieske brought down Ramirez.
Reiten stepped up for the resulting spot-kick, sending Clark the wrong way as she picked out the bottom right corner, but the three-goal lead was short-lived.
An excellent ball from Peddemors played van Dijk through, and the 21-year-old powered forward, outpacing Bjorn before scoring with a low effort past the outstretched Musovic.
There were more changes from both bosses and it was the visitors who continued to dominate as the final 10 minutes approached, while a simple final stop by Musovic denied Twente substitute Jaimy Ravensbergen a late goal.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
