Second Half Floodgates Open Leaving City Feeling Blue

Chelsea 7-0 Leicester City

by Ben Gilby (26/2/22)

Above: Sam Kerr and Pernille Harder, who both scored twice, celebrate after Chelsea overcame a difficult start to defeat Leicester City 7-0 at Kingsmeadow. Photo: Ben Gilby for Impetus.

Chelsea eased their way past Leicester City to make the FA Cup Quarter-Finals with five goals in 25 second-half minutes.

Australia’s record scorer Sam Kerr and Danish star Pernille Harder both grabbed a brace, but the scoreline doesn’t exactly tell the full story.

When Leicester visited Kingsmeadow in October, they parked the proverbial bus and defended for their lives. Despite mustering almost 80% possession, it took Chelsea 73 minutes to break the deadlock that day.

This time round, City were well organized across the pitch and had the best of the opening 20 minutes. What ultimately changed the momentum was Sophie Howard’s sending off after 17 minutes after going into a tackle studs first on Jonna Andersson. Whilst the Leicester supports correctly claimed Howard took the ball, the fact is you cannot risk going in to tackles like that without receiving a card.

Chelsea gradually asserted control as the half concluded and scored two good goals through Pernille Harder.

The second half was a slow burner until Sam Kerr’s first goal on the hour mark opened the floodgates. The East Fremantle-born star added a second with Ji scoring a cracker from the left-hand side of the box before Aniek Nouwen and Beth England completed the rout.

Ben Gilby’s Photo Gallery From Kingsmeadow for Impetus:

Teams: CHELSEA (4-4-2): Berger, Charles, Bright, Nouwen, Andersson, James, Ji, Harder, Kerr, Kirby. Substitutes: Musovic (GK), Carter, England, Reiten, Fleming, Spence, Abdullina.

Scorers: Harder 24′, 36′. Kerr 60′, 82′. Ji 65′, Nouwen 79′, England 85′.

LEICESTER CITY (3-4-2-1): Lambourne, Howard, McManus, Brougham, de Graaf, Tierney, Pike, Pirfield, O’Brien, Gregory, Flint. Substitutes: Devlin, Goodwin, Bailey-Gayle, Barker, Smith, Robinson, Harris (GK).

Referee: Emily Heaslip.

Attendance: 2,723.