Chelsea 1-0 Servette: Sam Kerr spares the Blues' blushes with crucial second-half strike to edge Emma Hayes' side a step closer to the Champions League quarter-finals

• Emma Hayes's side made hard work of dispatching Servette at Kingsmeadow
• In Geneva last week a ruthless Chelsea found themselves 6-0 up by half-time 
• Here it took a key strike from Sam Kerr to push the Blues towards the last-eight 
• Chelsea men's star Reece James was in the crowd to watch his sister Lauren 

Chelsea Women edged closer to a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Servette.

Sam Kerr's goal in the 67th minute was enough to secure a vital win which leaves them top of Group A, with just a point required from their final two fixtures against Juventus and Wolfsburg to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

This was not the vintage, ruthless and clinical Chelsea we saw in Geneva last week. The Blues thrashed their opponents 7-0 in the reverse fixture and were 6-0 up at half-time.

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But Emma Hayes had said before kick-off she was expecting a different game at Kingsmeadow and their opponents were much improved. 

'We got three points and we got a clean sheet and we're the top of the group,' Hayes said. 

'I think the first half was nowhere near our standards. I think it improved second half but fair play to Servette, I thought they made it difficult for us.

'They had a lot of bodies behind the ball, very aggressive and for that reason, I think the time it took us to get into the game. 

'Our best chances came late on, perhaps the scoreline should have been a little more but Zecira Musovic made a great save to keep us in it. So I'm happy about the three points. I'm not overwhelmed by our performance.' 

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea (4-3-3): Musovic, Mjelde, Bright, Eriksson, Andersson (Cuthbert 69), Ingle (Leupolz 68), Ji, Charles, Kirby (James 85), Kerr (Reiten 85), England (Fleming 68)

Subs not used: Telford, Berger, Carter, Spence, Fox

Goals: Kerr 67

Manager: Emma Hayes

 

Servette (4-2-3-1): Pereira, Soulard, Felber, Spalti, Mendes, Maendly (Redondo 90+1), Tufo (Tamplin 90+2), Padilla-Bidas (Bourma 70), Lagonia, Nakkach, Boho (Fleury 80)

Subs not used: Droz, Grivaz

Sent off: Soulard

Manager: Eric Severac

 

Referee: Hristiyana Guteva

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Natalia Padilla-Bidas gave Chelsea an early scare when she got in behind Millie Bright but her shot across goal flew wide of the left post.

Fran Kirby went close at the other end in the ninth minute when she was played in by Ji So-Yun, but her close-range effort was saved by the legs of Servette goalkeeper Ines Pereira.

For all their possession, that was the closest the Blues came to opening the scoring in the first half. Kirby was the brightest player in the opening 45 minutes and she looked the most likely to create something as the game restarted.

The forward forced Pereira into a save at her near post before Ji had an effort deflected wide. Jonna Anderson then went close as she tried to connect with England's cross but Elodie Nakkach made a vital block.

Servette didn't manage a shot on target in the reverse fixture but they twice went close to taking an unlikely lead just past the hour mark. First, Monica Mendes back-heeled an effort towards goal which just Zecira Musovic managed to hold. Jade Boho then tested Musovic with another shot from the box.

But the visitors lack of quality was telling and moments later Kerr showed why it will be the Blues who will eventually progress to the quarter-finals.

Kirby found space on the right and played a well-time ball into the feet of the Australian, who went past Nathalia Spalti before finishing into the bottom left corner.

Servette were reduced to ten in the 82nd minute when Amandine Soulard was sent off for a second yellow card after a late tackle on Niamh Charles. In truth, she could have gone 10 minutes earlier when she'd dragged back Kerr, who looked to be racing through on goal. 

While Kerr's goal was the most important contribution of the night, another significant moment came in the 85th minute when summer signing Lauren James came on to make her debut, with brother Reece watching on in the stands.

Fans have been eager to see the forward since she made the move from Manchester United but Hayes has been careful not to rush her into the team after suffering several injuries last season.

She had the chance to make it the perfect debut when she was picked out in the box by Erin Cuthbert but her shot flew over the bar.

'I thought she was exceptional,' Hayes said on James' debut. 'She came on the pitch and the ball stuck, she held it up really well, she linked really well, probably could have had two goals.

'We've made no secret of the fact that we've got to build her fitness but she showed that she can bring something to the team, her technical qualities are outrageous and I'm looking forward to building on tonight's debut.'