Kerr rescues jaded Chelsea as Swiss refuse to roll over again

Chelsea remain top of their Champions League group, despite being slow off the blocks in their win over Swiss part-timers Servette.

Last week, Chelsea were six goals up against the same team going into the break, but last night had zero goals and only four attempts in the first 45 minutes, which manager Emma Hayes described as “nowhere near our standards”.

Chelsea eventually claimed a modest 1-0 win and Hayes gave credit to their opponents, who were beaten 7-0 last time.

“The Champions League is full of top teams from their respective countries, so we shouldn’t be surprised [by how Servette played],” Hayes said. “When you win by such a large margin like we did, perhaps that can happen. We should be winning these games, they’re a parttime team. This is something we should expect for ourselves.”

Chelsea were unusually devoid of intensity in the first half, perhaps understandably so considering they were playing their fourth match in 12 days, and had five consecutive fixtures on the road before last night. The team looked leggy.

They came out in the second half with more pep in their step, but Servette continued to show their improved defensive work and even nearly took the lead when Monica Mendes’s cheeky back-heel shot forced a good save from Zecira Musovic. But Sam Kerr finally broke the deadlock. Fran Kirby played her through, as she so often does, and Kerr nutmegged a defender before scoring. When Servette’s Amandine Soulard got her marching orders after picking up her second yellow for a studs-up challenge on Niamh Charles, the match looked secure.

Summer signing Lauren James, who has been hampered by injury, made her long-awaited debut. Her brother and Chelsea men’s player Reece watched from the stands as she put a good chance to enjoy a dream debut over the crossbar.