Sam Kerr Scores Spectacular Goal Late On - Chelsea v London City Lionesses - Barclays WSL 25-26

The stage being set at Stamford Bridge, hosting its second WSL game of the season in the West London sunshine. For the dawn of a new derby in this division, a first ever league meeting between Chelsea and London City Lionesses. The reigning champions who've set the standards for so long now, with a new challenge coming their way. London City have arrived this season with big expectations and big ambitions. They arrive at Stamford Bridge to find out perhaps how far along they are on their journey towards challenging the elite. Chelsea unbeaten in 31 WSL matches now since May of last year. Triple winners domestically last season, already residing at the summit of the WSL standings. Six games into the new season, winning five of those. A challenge laid down to the visitors today. Well Chelsea have made four changes from their last WSL match. The 1-0 derby win over Spurs at Kingsmeadow. Notably, there is a first Chelsea start of the season for the fit again Lucy Broms, who scored for England on her 34th birthday on Tuesday. Also back comes Zondi Baltimore, a scorer in the Champions League win here against Palace FC. Charles Thompson, Ritin Karnarid and Kapteijn all drop out of the XI but are available from the bench. When there is also a place for the first time this season for the fit again Naomi Germer. Lauren James has suffered a minor setback though and is still unavailable. Aggie Beaver-Jones is fit to start up front after an injury scare with England last week. This is the same London City side which started a 1-0 win over West Ham in their previous WSL match. Lucia Corrales picked up a knock on international duty with Spain, otherwise she would have been in line to return to the starting line-up. So instead Jocelyn Pressure sticks with the same side as against Spurs, reversing the six changes made for the League Cup loss to Leicester City. Isabel Goodwin and Freya Godfrey have both been past fit to continue. Kosovar Aslani got the winner against Spurs. She, Nikita Paris and Goodwin have all scored twice in the WSL so far this season. All three have been ever-present members of the starting line-up. Picking off in the top six in the table against the leaders. The reigning champions set to get the action started in the Stamford Bridge sunshine. So off and underway then, Chelsea in the familiar blue to get us started here. Playing from right to left in this first period. And looking to set the standards from the start of the game, I guess as they have done in this division over the last six seasons now. Those successive championship titles that they've taken against the team who Alive has mentioned with big ambitions. And this is where they find out, London City, Lionesses, just how far along the line they are maybe. Opened up again here for London City. And it's just proved why this time, Pikey Oro, that they are getting openings already. Chelsea here with Baltimore. Lever-Jones ahead of it. Still a Sunday Baltimore. Back to in numbers here of London City but nobody could cut out the cross. And it will be turned in for the game's opening goal already. Ellie Carpenter is there to apply the finishing touch. And the champions hit the front inside the opening six minutes. Yeah, fantastic work from Sunday Baltimore. I thought initially Fernandez had defended really well to stop her getting a shot on the goal. But in the end, Baltimore showed her class, her patience and then drives a really good ball across the face of the goal. Difficult one to defend. And Ellie Carpenter who has had a flying start to her career at Chelsea. So much space out here for Baltimore initially. But Fernandez does really well to hold her ground and stop her getting a clear shot on goal. But just that quick shift away drives it across the goal. And Ellie Carpenter doing what all good forwards would do best. I think she's coming from a wing-back position there to score. But she's had a brilliant start to her career at Chelsea. And she'll be delighted with that opening goal. Her first goal in Chelsea blue. Leighton goes infield towards Nuskan. Carpenter brings it down beautifully. Support from Erin Cuthbert. And bronze. And it was reached by Nuskan ahead of Leta. Here goes Goodwin on the charge. You have Godfrey in the middle. It was just a fraction in front of her. But Freya Godfrey will reach it. Try and keep the danger alive here. Try and keep the pressure on. Monroe couldn't quite get a foot on that. The London City Lionesses get the game restarted here. They are still very much harbouring hopes of taking something from despite the early concession. They haven't yet been able to undo the damage. But they have given Chelsea plenty to think about. Here comes Fernandes. This time it's against the shot. Godfrey wider. Taking on Charles here. Bringing it through. In the end. For Beaver-Jones. We're getting back to it. We actually have to do. Connery. Carpenter. Back for Jean Connery. And Beaver-Jones in the middle. Big block in there. And then Kumagai trying to bring it away. Didn't get too far though. Carpenter's won it back here for Chelsea. Beaver-Jones. The battle continues. She still comes away with the ball. Right then for new Charles. But the referees pulled it back for the earlier one. Beaver-Jones taking some stopping in those sort of situations. And the yellow card is out. For the challenge which unfairly did so. Chelsea in the ascendancy at the moment. Here is Cuthbert. Good challenge came in from Sengare. It was an important one. Cuthbert's taking up some advanced positions now. Making a real menace. That was risky. Beaver-Jones trying to make them pay. Not quite. Only one thought on her mind. But it came the way of Aggie Beaver-Jones. Just starting to look a little bit tired. Some of their players. Linari walking off rather gingerly after that. Challenge on Ritinkana. It just looks like their legs are feeling it a touch. And they will when you come up against these teams. And that's why the manager was suggesting he'd need his entire bench today. It's corner. Walker gets a glove on it. It did fall favourably for Keira Walsh. A bit of a swing at that first time. For Carpenter. And yet for Lucy Bronze. They've got the ball in blue. That's an entry early from Hannah Hampton, wasn't it? Chelsea look to take advantage at the other end with Carpenter's ball in. They are still getting forward in numbers. In search of something right at the end. Hampton's ball in. It was only partially cleared as far as Kumagai. That's well worked in towards Goodwin. And the door was just about closed in time to deny Izzy Goodwin a clear side of goal. No great hurry. Given how open the game was at the start, I'm surprised there's still only the one goal in it. That might change right at the end. Ritinkana in with a chance to wrap it up. It wasn't far away. And there'll be conclusion. Plenty packing the penalty area here. Or arriving as well. Pattinson is on the end of it. Comes through for Hampton. Had to just readjust the footing a little bit. With that measure of composure that we used to see from her. But this isn't the way that Chelsea would be hoping to close out the game. Maybe that final ball as well. A little lack of... Kerr will try and chase this one down for Chelsea. Chelsea's come a long way and got there first. But it comes back the way of Kerr or Pattinson. And that'll do it. Instinctive. Sam Kerr off the fence. 2-0 Chelsea. Fortunate how it came her way. But she was always going to make the most of it. Surely from there. And only now in the final moments of the match can Chelsea celebrate with certainty. Yeah, that is Sam Kerr in a nutshell for me. Causing problems. Not letting anything go. A long hopeful punt forward by Erin Cuthbert. Makes life difficult for the goalkeeper. Initially you feel he's done quite well. But Poppy Pattinson just not able to control it as it comes to her. And Sam Kerr absolutely alert for seconds as any good striker should be. Looks up. Sees the keeper off her line. Takes a small deflection I think off of one of the London City defenders' heads. But I think it was still going in. And that is exactly what Chelsea would have wanted. And that's full time. It's another win for Chelsea. It was far from straightforward for Sonia Bonaparte's team at Stamford Bridge today. Despite scoring the early goal just six minutes in. They had to wait until stoppage time for the second. Taken so sharply, so instinctively by the substitute Sam Kerr. Back doing what she does in Chelsea Blue. In between though, London City Lionesses had made a real game of this. They threatened frequently. They challenged the champions. They'll take positives from their performance. But ultimately no points at Stamford Bridge today. Once again the derby day honours in the first league meeting between these two clubs. No Chelsea's way. They found a way. And it's finished. Chelsea 2, London City Lionesses 0.