Vllaznia 0-4 Chelsea UWCL: Player ratings as Blues ease into Champions League quarter finals
By Ali Rampling
Chelsea breezed into the quarter finals of the Champions League with a game to spare thanks to a 4-0 victory over Vllaznia on Friday evening.
Goals from Sophie Ingle, Guro Reiten and Kateřina Svitková helped the Blues to all three points at the Loro Boriçi Stadium. Emma Hayes' side will be assured of top spot in the group should they avoid defeat to PSG at Stamford Bridge next Thursday.
It marks a huge improvement from Chelsea, who have successfully navigated a tough group that also features PSG and Real Madrid after surprisingly crashing out during the group stages last term.
Having run out 8-0 winners when the pair met at Kingsmeadow in October, it was more of the same from Chelsea in Albania, as they took the lead after 12 minutes. Guro Reiten's cross deflected into the path of Ingle, who coolly found the bottom corner.
After capitalising from a quickly taken free-kick against Reading last time out, Chelsea were at it again on Thursday, Jelana Cankovic with the quick thinking and Kirby the beneficiary as she slotted home. Vllaznia protests were waved away.
Kerr was presented with a golden opportunity to add a third for Chelsea shortly after the break, but she could only head into the side netting after being spectacularly picked out by Cankovic.
The Chelsea forward did have the ball in the back of the net after 68 minutes having been well found by substitute Svitková, only to be ruled out for offside as Chelsea's cutting edge in front of goal somewhat waned in the second half.
The Blues spent much of the second period camped in the Vllaznia half and finally added a third with four minutes remaining as Svitková rose highest to head home Cankovic's pinpoint cross.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty for handball in stoppage time following a surging Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, and Mjelde dispatched the subsequent spot kick as the Blues coasted into the Champions League last eight.
Chelsea
GK: Zećira Mušović - 6/10 - Into the starting XI in place of Ann-Katrin Berger. Was largely a spectator, such was Chelsea's dominance.
RB: Eve Perisset - 8/10 - Always a threat with her ability to bomb forward and deliver from the right.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan - 7/10 - Mopped up well on occasions and hardly gave the Vllaznia forward line a sniff of goal.
CB: Aniek Nouwen - 8/10 - A rare start after impressing last term but slotted into the backline seamlessly. Saw a first half header sail into the arms of Williams and was solid defensively.
LB: Niamh Charles - 7/10 - Involved in the build up to the opener by sending Reiten scurrying away in the box, and relentlessly up and down the left all evening.
CM: Sophie Ingle - 8/10 - Opened the scoring with a really well-taken finish, finding the bottom corner from just inside the area. Dictated play.
CM: Jessie Fleming - 7/10 - Typically efficient in possession, breaking the lines at every possible opportunity to feed the front three.
CM: Jelena Čanković - 8/10 - Set up Chelsea's second with a quick bit of thinking, finding Kirby with a swiftly taken free kick, and found the head of Svitková with pinpoint accuracy for her side's third.
RW: Fran Kirby - 8/10 - Added a second for Chelsea, reacting to the quickly taken free kick and coolly finding the bottom corner when one v one. Linked play intricately.
ST: Sam Kerr - 6/10 - Linked play well. Fired a header into the side netting, and saw a goal ruled out for offside in the second half.
LW: Guro Reiten - 6/10 - Set up the opener with a low cross, and denied a first half goal by low, finger tip save. Typically smart on the ball. Quieter in the second half before being withdrawn.
Substitutes
SUB: Kateřina Svitková (64' for Reiten) - 7/10
SUB: Maren Mjelde (64' for Buchanan) - 6/10
SUB: Lauren James (64' for Ingle) - 6/10
SUB: Jess Carter (74' for Charles) - 6/10
SUB: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (74' for Kirby) - 6/10