Chelsea Ladies played their last game of the year at home against Liverpool in the quarter final of the Continental Tyres Cup. Having been unbeaten in the qualifying group, Chelsea had never won a knockout match in the competition.
That all changed today though. A resounding 5-1 victory saw the team progress to the penultimate round. Any victory over Liverpool is nice, although there may not quite be the same rivalry that exists within the men`s teams. I do wonder if the ‘Steven Gerrard song was sung at any point though.
That's full-time. Fran Kirby's hat-trick and goals from Ramona Bachmann and Erin Cuthbert secure a 5-1 win over Liverpool which puts us in the semi-finals of the Continental Tyres Cup #CLFC pic.twitter.com/84dtZ2UVrL
— Chelsea Ladies FC (@ChelseaLFC) December 17, 2017
Top of the scoring charts was Fran Kirby who scored a hat-trick. It was in fact the England international who got the scoring underway, calmly firing past the keeper. Two goals in quick succession by Ramona Bachmann and Kirby again, effectively had the game won inside 25 minutes.
Half time came and Chelsea had maintained that lead, in fact the Kirby and Bachmann combination looked like extending that lead on more than one occasion.
Liverpool got a goal back early in the second half after a sustained period of pressure, but Kirby completed her hat-trick, restoring the three goal lead. Following a series of substitutions the game stagnated and the tempo dropped. However it was one of those substitutes, Erin Cuthbert, that rounded the scoring off by firing in from the edge of the penalty area.
The semi-final draw takes place on Monday when Emma Hayes side discover who they`ll face in the game that will take place in mid January.