Suzanne Wrack's match report from Paris
Thank you for joining me for this match, Chelsea top the group but send Paris FC out in a dominant evening for Emma Hayes’ team. Do come back tomorrow evening when we will be enveloped with more Women’s Champions League action. But for now, have a good evening!
Here is the only goal from the other game in this group:
“I know you are all about snack chat, so how about this?” Joe Pearson writes. “The little girls next door just delivered my Girl Scout Cookies order! I just scarfed down a couple of Samoas! Heaven.”
That sounds incredible. Can drinks be snacks? I had a hot chocolate for kick-off.
Here are the two second half goals from Chelsea:
I think if Buchanan checks her pockets she will find Bourdieu in there, the Chelsea defender had an amazing performance this evening.
The other game in this group ended 1-0 to Häcken who go through as runners-up.
Full time: Paris FC 0-4 Chelsea
Paris FC are out of the Women’s Champions League after being demolished 4-0 by group leaders Chelsea. Kirby and Fishel saw the Blues 2-0 up at half-time and Reiten and Mjelde turned the screw with two more goals in the second 45. It also means Häcken are through to the quarter-finals.
90 + 5 min: Paris FC really throwing everything at getting a consolation goal, where was this attack half an hour ago?
90 + 3 min: Chelsea just winding down the minutes now, they have secured top spot in this group and they do so unbeaten.
90 + 1 min: There will be six minutes added here.
89 min: Paris FC have a corner here, it’s a good delivery but Musovic watches it all the way and collects. Not the hosts’ evening tonight.
88 min: Some good game management from Chelsea now, long build-up play and taking their time over every decision.
86 min: Bogaert is coming off with N’Dongala comes on and Paris make another change with Mateo off for Fleury.
84 min: A good sign as Bogaert is able to walk off the pitch herself, she is clasping her head and has not re-entered the pitch as play gets back underway. Paris playing with 10 for now.
83 min: The ball comes in from the free kick and Nnadozie punches away, she accidentally hits Bogaert who needs immediate attention. Hopefully she is okay.
82 min: Beever-Jones makes a break but she is fouled by Korosec, who gets a yellow card. Chelsea make a change before the set piece is taken with Charles on for Perisset – it looks like she has cramp.
81 min: Mjelde beats her defender in the air but Nnadozie should have done better in her effort to save that, she won’t want to watch any of these highlights back.
GOAL! Paris FC 0-4 Chelsea (Mjelde, 80')
Another header for Chelsea but another defensive blunder for Paris.
Updated
79 min: Beever-Jones puts in a lovely cross and Fishel almost finishes it but it’s deflected out for a corner. Reiten will take the set piece.
78 min: A bit scrappy at the back for Chelsea now between Mjelde and Musovic have a slight miscommunication but they manage to get it away.
76 min: The ball was lofted high by a Chelsea player, Soyer leaves it with Nnadozie unable to catch as it was outside of the box and so Reiten pounced to score the easiest goal of the evening. That must be it for Paris’ hopes now.
GOAL! Paris FC 0-3 Chelsea (Reiten, 74')
That is one Paris will not want to watch back.
Updated
73 min: Chelsea not content with just two goals as they press for a third, they are happy with some nice build-up play and it forces a free kick with a foul on Fishel.
71 min: The crowd are starting to boo now when things don’t go Paris’ way. This time Bourdieu is ruled offside, unsure if the fan frustration is general or targeted at the team at the moment.
69 min: Häcken have scored against Real Madrid, putting another nail in Paris FC’s WCL campaign.
“Häcken just scored a great goal through Kafaji,” Hakan emailed. “While I really appreciate that Chelsea are doing their part in helping Häcken reach the quarter finals it would feel so good to win away to Madrid.”
Häcken have had a really impressive campaign this season, this group has been really entertaining to watch. Back to this match and Buchanan is okay to continue.
67 min: Hocine intercepts a Chelsea pass and she has a good run but her resulting pass has too much on it. Buchanan is now down with an injury, unsure what she has done there as she signalled for help off the ball.
66 min: Paris FC come forward again through Thiney and she lays it off but the offside flag is up.
64 min: Chelsea work it through the team and it comes to Beever-Jones but she is offside. The Blues make changes with Cankovic and Kirby off for Reiten and Kaneryd – not bad players to bring on.
62 min: The corner comes in but Chelsea are able to deal with the danger. They try to get it back in but Beever-Jones has a good block.
61 min: Paris FC have a free kick as Buchanan handballs. The delivery is a good one and Ingle and Musovic bundle it out for a corner.
60 min: Possession keeps exchanging hands with both sides not being clinical, the latest effort coming from Chelsea. Lawrence wanted a free kick after she was pushed to the floor but the referee isn’t having any of it. Paris FC counter with the move starting with Thiney and they get it into the box but Buchanan heads the danger clear.
58 min: Hocine went down with injury for a moment but didn’t receive any treatment, when she was back to her feet she looked to be limping.
56 min: It’s whipped in but Nnadozie punches it away and Paris look to counter, Bourdieu makes a good run but Perisset defends well to quell the threat.
54 min: A great ball finds Beever-Jones but she takes a heavy touch and so Paris are able to clear. The Blues win it back quickly and then win their first corner of the match.
53 min: Thiney is limping slightly after a foul from Ingle, she is okay to continue. This is starting to feel like an American football game at the moment with all the starts and stops! Emma Hayes looks to the sky in frustration, I think many watching feel the same.
51 min: Some scrappy play from both sides at the moment. Chelsea with possession at the moment and on the hunt for their third goal. Beever-Jones tries to find Kirby but it has too much on it.
49 min: Thiney has a great run and pass down the right and she finds Dufour in the box – it’s a great opportunity but Dufour sees it over the bar. If Paris had taken their chances in this match they could be leading now.
47 min: The second half much like the first, dominant possession from Chelsea.
Back underway! Paris FC 0-2 Chelsea
The second 45 has begun. Can Paris FC pull off a comeback and unleash an upset? Or will Chelsea cruise to the win? All to come.
There is a slight delay to the second half as this game is waiting for the other game in this group to start – the other game had five minutes injury time.
Here are the goals so far from this one:
Updated
In the other game in this group Real Madrid and Häcken are drawing 0-0. A draw as things stand will be enough for Häcken to go through.
Half-time: Paris FC 0-2 Chelsea
The hosts haven’t been really poor but have lacked a clinical edge, whereas Chelsea have pulled the trigger twice through Kirby and Fishel. As things stand Paris FC are out.
45 + 1 min: Mateo has a great run and she takes a shot but it’s over the bar – a poor effort from where she was.
44 min: A lovely bit of play there from Paris, a great thread between three or four players and it pays off as they win a corner. Mateo puts in a good delivery and Thiney rifles a shot but that’s blocked and then Musovic collects.
42 min: Mjelde with a slightly risky pass back to Musovic but Chelsea are able to clear it out. The second goal has taken all of the fizz out of Paris’ attack at the moment, they need to score and it needs to come soon.
40 min: Paris FC had been on top in terms of possession and chances created for the past 10 minutes and either missed or wasted chances. Chelsea create one and convert it to make this a mountain rather than a molehill for Paris.
38 min: It came from a great Cankovic cross in, it’s a powerful header and Nnadozie has a poor effort – it will take a lot now for Paris to shock Chelsea.
GOAL! Paris FC 0-2 Chelsea (Fishel, 37')
Fishel with her famous celebration.
Updated
35 min: There are some boos as Bourdieu is fouled, Paris have a free kick but they have to build from halfway. They do just that as Dufour is fed the ball in the box but Buchanan does well to shepherd it out of play for a goal kick.
33 min: Nnadozie does really well to come off of her line and confidently take the ball which Fishel almost pounced on.
31 min: Paris FC are looking like two difference teams at the moment. At times they are slick and confident in their play, other times they are so frantic and disconnected. If they had some consistency I think they could have equalised by now.
29 min: The crowd come to life every time Paris have the ball, it seems like a great atmosphere in the stadium. Ould Hocine puts in a fabulous cross and Soyer takes a one-touch finish but it’s just over the bar.
27 min: Chelsea try to create a chance but Cankovic loses out, the visitors win it back but a miscommunication sees Nnadozie clear. The clearance kick from the keeper is poor but Paris manage to deal with the threat.
25 min: Bourdieu is passed a sublime ball in the box but she takes one too many touches and is dispossessed. She is doing slightly too much every time she gets in a good position. Bourdieu is in the box again but again sees herself dispossessed with too many touches.
23 min: Musovic is forced to make a save but she can’t control and Buchanan clears. Paris are quick to hit back and Musovic saves and collects this time. Conceding the goal seems to have lifted a weight for Paris strangely, they know they have to score at least two now to go through.
21 min: Paris FC have a great build-up, really patient and well-communicated but the final cross in is poor and Chelsea are able to clear. The hosts are quick to get back in possession and Thiney, who has started this match really well, rifles off a shot but it is just over the bar.
19 min: Wow, this game is opening up now. Thiney spots Musovic off of her line and she tries to lob the keeper but it is just wide. That would have been a phenomenal goal. The keeper has another error as her clearance kick goes as far as a Paris FC player but luckily for the shot stopper Lawrence comes to the rescue.
17 min: Oh my word that was so close for Chelsea. It’s a mess at the back again for Paris and Kirby makes a good cross but Soyer does just enough to put off Beever-Jones from doubling Chelsea’s lead. I think she may have been offside if that had gone in but Chelsea are in cruise control at the moment.
15 min: So as things stand it is Häcken who will go through to the quarter-finals, their game against Real Madrid still stands at 0-0 but if Paris FC lose the Swedish team will be through regardless. Back to the action and the French team are throwing everything at breaking down this Chelsea team but the Blues are holding strong for now.
13 min: Paris FC immediately have an opportunity to equalise but Mateo’s effort is straight over the bar. Corboz is then fouled and the hosts have a free kick, they have to build from deep but Dufour gets it into the box. She beats Buchanan but Lawrence is there to wrestle possession.
11 min: It was just too easy for Chelsea. Cankovic crossed in a great ball but Kirby was allowed so much space, she headed home with Nnadozie completely unaware of where she was.
GOAL! Paris FC 0-1 Chelsea (Kirby, 10')
Chelsea’s first chance and they score.
Updated
10 min: Some risky play at the back from Chelsea, Musovic passes a poor ball to Perisset and the defender and keeper are then left with no option but to boot it into the stands. Paris FC have a throw in with a good springboard but Beever-Jones does well to win it back and clear.
8 min: A poor ball from Buchanan sees Bourdieu come away with it and she takes a long range punt with Musovic collecting easily.
6 min: Another offside flag call for Paris FC but so far the hosts are the ones creating chances, no one has pulled any real punches yet though. It feels slightly cagey.
4 min: A long ball comes into the area and Mjelde does well to calmly head it clear, Paris FC bang up for this. They work it into the box once more but they are ruled offside, this could be a long evening for the Blues.
2 min: Chelsea having all of the early possession here as both sides find their feet.
Kick-off! Paris FC 0-0 Chelsea
We are off. Can Paris FC book their spot in the next round? Or will Chelsea continue their unbeaten streak? We will find out over the next 90 minutes.
The players are out ahead of kick-off. A record crowd is expect at the Stade Charléty this evening.
The Stade Charléty is almost ready to go, are you? It’s crunch time in the WCL group stage.
Here’s a great piece about the youngest player in the tournament:
Paris FC knocked out Arsenal and Wolfsburg on their way to the Women’s Champions League group stage and they are bidding to pull off another great result this evening. Beat Chelsea, last year’s semi-finalists, and hope Hacken draw or lose and they are through.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has said in the build-up: “Paris will come out and give us a game, that’s what we want. These are the games you want to win. Last week was a boring game because Real Madrid sat in a low block.”
It’s the time of year where everyone has a variation of a cold and I too have now been struck down with illness. I am trying everything to shift it but it’s got a tight grip, what are your home remedies? Let me know via email or X – @rendellx
Lauren James has scored five goals in her last three matches for Chelsea but she will be waiting in the wings from the bench. Other forward choices are unavailable with Sam Kerr out with an ACL injury and new forward Mayra Ramirez not travelling to Paris with the team.
Updated
The team news is here! Paris FC have loaded there team with stars to try and down Chelsea this evening with star keeper Nnadozie charged with keeping the Blues out.
Paris FC: Nnadozie, Bogaert, Ould Hocine, Greboval, Soyer, Corboz, Thiney, Le Mouel, Mateo, Bourdieu, Dufour.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have opted for some squad rotation. Cankovic gets some much needed game time while Musovic is chosen in goal.
Chelsea: Musovic, Lawrence, Buchanan, Mjelde, Perisset, Nusken, Ingle, Kirby, Cankovic, Beever-Jones, Fishel.
Preamble
Hello and welcome back to our Women’s Champions League coverage. Tonight we will be focusing on Paris FC v Chelsea.
The Blues secured their spot in the quarter-finals last week when they beat Real Madrid 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. The win also meant they will finish as group winners. However, Paris FC have not yet secured their last eight spot and they need to beat Chelsea tonight in order to boost their hopes.
Hacken are above them by a single point at the moment with a greater goal difference so all three points will aid Paris’ campaign. However, if Hacken beat Real Madrid then no matter the result in this game Paris FC will be out. The other game in the group kicks off at the same time and so I will update you as things progress.
We can focus more on what has been said in the build-up shortly but first the team news.