Kerr calms the nerves, James shows her class as Blues cruise to 3-0 Champions League win over PSG at the Bridge

By Paul Lagan at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea 3 v PSG 0

10,129

It took a late first half thumper from Sam Kerr to settle the nerves, and as soon as she did what she normally does – score, the outcome of the game against PSG at Stamford Bridge tonight was never in doubt.

Chelsea sit top of their Champions League group having won five of their games and drawing the other.

Chelsea’s other two goals came from the talented boot of Lauren James – twice she was right in the spot to take full advantge.

There is now a long break before WSL top-of-the table hostilities resume when the Blues travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal on January 15.

In that time, head coach Emma Hayes needs to examine why the Blues started sluggishly and devise a plan to prevent it happening against the Gooners – who won’t be so forgiving.

 Salina Karchaoui had the first effort – a 25-yarder but the ball went wide of Zecira Musovic’s left-hand post on five minutes.

The French side settled quicker and dominated the early play.

A wonderful 40-yard strike from Kadidiatou Diana, saw Musovic backpedal to her own goalline. Luckily for her the ball rebounded off her crossbar and was cleared to safety.

Chelsea’s first attempt of note came on 19 minutes when Erin Cuthbert fed the ball wide to Fran Kirby. the England player controlled the ball before whipping it to the far post where Lauren James met it with a neat volley, but it was just wide of the PSG goal.

James had a great chance to open the scoring on 36 minutes but her sliding left-footer was deflected for a corner by goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi, but the referee, Luliana Demetrescu bizzarly gave a goal kick.

But a goal finally came, a couple of minutes before the break. Karchaoui lost possession in her own third, Sam Kerr snatched the ball, took a couple of goal-bound touches, before letting fly with a venomous left footer, that had power and direction, that was too hot for Bouhaddi and the ball smashed into the back of her net.

Emma Hayes didn’t make any changes to her side at half-time.

But it was soon 2-0 to the home side on 54 minutes. Bouhaddi had a bit of a brain freeze when she attempted to pass a short ball to one of her defenders. It was quickly intercepted, and after a smart one-two with Kerr, James tucked the ball home from eight yards out.

Number three was just round the corner and following a quick break it was James once again who took full advantage and slotted smartly home.

That was her last touch in the game as Hayes made her first change – on came Johanna Rytting Kaneryd for the double goal-scoring striker.

Substitute Beth England should have scored number four following another break, but she sent her right-footer wide of goal.

The Blues clipped the far post through Rytting Kaneryd late on, but it was job done.

Teams: Chelsea, Musovic, Bright, Ingle, James, Reiten, Kirby, Eriksson, Kerr, Charles, Cuthbert, Buchanan

Subs: Berger, Orman, Nouwen, Carter, England, Svitkova, Perisset, Fleming, Mjelde, Rytting Kaneryd, Abdullina, Cankovic

PSG: Bouhaddi, De Almeida, Jean-Francis, Karchaoui, Geyoro, Diane, Llestedt, Fazer, Baltimore, Martens, Li

Subs, Williams, Picard, Simon, Bachmann, Hamraoui, Thorvaldstottir, Folquet, Yang, Ngueleu

Referee: Liliana Demetrescu – Romania