Chelsea Women 4-1 Bayern Munich: Player ratings as Blues book place in Champions League final
By Tom Gott
Chelsea kept their quadruple hopes alive as they secured a dramatic 4-1 win over Bayern Munich to seal a date with Barcelona in the Champions League final.
Fran Kirby opened the scoring after ten minutes following some impressive link-up play with partner-in-crime Sam Kerr, but Bayern levelled it up on the half-hour mark with an absolute worldie from Sarah Zadrazil. Chelsea pushed back for another goal and found it through Ji So-yun, who followed up her tame free kick with a precise half-volley that trickled into the back of the net.
Chelsea remained on top after the break, although Bayern continued to threaten on the counter and started to grow into the game around the hour mark. Tensions were high as both sides exchanged chances, but it was Pernille Harder who headed home late on to give Chelsea a crucial advantage.
As Bayern threw everything forward, Chelsea clung on for dear life and bagged a fourth with the last kick of the game as Kirby tapped the ball into an empty net to steer Chelsea through to the final.
CHELSEA PLAYER RATINGS
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Ann-Katrin Berger (GK) - 6/10 - Didn't really have too much to do. Had absolutely no chance for Zadrazil's screamer but dealt with everything else that came her way.
Jess Carter (RB) - 7/10 - Excellent at both ends of the field. Made a huge block on Beerensteyn to prevent an early equaliser and was a willing runner to try to get involved in Chelsea's attacks.
Millie Bright (CB) - 6/10 - Looked very comfortable with Eriksson back alongside her. Won a handful of good headers.
Magdalena Eriksson (CB) - 8/10 - Made Chelsea look so much more comfortable upon her return from a calf injury. Added some structure and leadership and did well to keep Schuller quiet.
Niamh Charles (LB) - 8/10 - Brought in specifically to disrupt Glas, Charles was superb at both ends. Kept the Bayern right-back quiet in attack and terrorised her with pace and power.
2. Midfielders
Sophie Ingle (DM) - 6/10 - Moved back into midfield, Ingle found it hard to get into the game. Helped things just by being there but was pretty quiet on the ball.
Ji So-yun (CM) - 7/10 - A tame free kick but an excellent follow-up. Active in attack all game long and asked serious questions with her movement and passing.
Melanie Leupolz (CM) - 6/10 - Happier to be given more freedom with ingle back in midfield, but the former Bayern star struggled to get into the game. Nearly scored an own goal with a sloppy back-pass.
3. Forwards
Fran Kirby (RW) - 8/10 - Terrific. Absolutely terrific. Danced her way round Bayern's defence with some excellent dribbling and movement. Took her goal well and threatened to bag a few more.
Pernille Harder (ST) - 8/10 - Did the dirty work to let 'Kerrby' shine, but deservedly bagged the all-important goal. An excellent all-round performance.
Sam Kerr (LW) - 6/10 - Dangerous when on the ball but found it hard to get enough space. Glas hounded her well and kept her quieter than most defenders have managed to. Should have sealed the game late on but fluffed her lines.
4. Substitutes
Erin Cuthbert - 7/10 - Got the assist for Kirby's last-ditch strike with one of her few touches.
Drew Spence - N/A
BAYERN MUNICH PLAYER RATINGS
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Laura Benkarth (GK) - 5/10 - Will be frustrated with Ji's goal but was left unsighted by the wall. A few decent saves but not enough.
Hanna Glas (RB) - 6/10 - A mixed performance. Found Charles incredibly hard to deal with but seemed to be focusing her efforts on Kerr, who was kept fairly quiet throughout.
Amanda Ilestedt (CB) - 6/10 - Dragged around by Harder but didn't let that impact her defending. Regularly in the right place to keep Bayern in the game.
Marina Hegering (CB) - 5/10 - Struggled to keep up with Chelsea's dynamic attack. Found Kirby and Kerr's movement too much and scuffed a few clearances. Looked a little uneasy.
Carolin Simon (LB) - 5/10 - Understandably struggled in her battle with Kirby. Lost the Chelsea forward a few times, including for the opener, but worked incredibly hard to keep her at bay.
6. Midfielders
Sarah Zadrazil (DM) - 7/10 - Impressed at the back, dropping deep to cut out some of Chelsea's cut-backs. Could have earned a ten just for her goal. Jeeeez.
Lina Magull (DM) - 6/10 - Hounded Chelsea's forwards all game long. Sometimes a little too aggressive, committing a handful of needless fouls, but did her job of disrupting the Blues.
Klara Buhl (RM) - 5/10 - Didn't get into the game much at all. Charles' power was too much.
Sydney Lohmann (AM) - 5/10 - Guilty of holding on to the ball a little too long in attack. Can't fault the work rate but lacked the kind of decision-making needed up front.
Lineth Beerensteyn (LM) - 7/10 - Enjoyed a really entertaining battle with Charles. Ran up and down the pitch all game and got herself involved in the box. Should have bagged an equaliser early on.
7. Forward
Lea Schuller (ST) - 4/10 - Kept very quiet by Eriksson and Bright. Fluffed an excellent chance before the break which summed up the game for Bayern's top scorer, who was hauled off after an hour.
8. Substitutes
Linda Dallmann - 7/10
Carina Wenninger - 6/10
Vivane Asseyi - 6/10
Simone Laudehr - N/A