Matildas captain Sam Kerr nets hat-trick for Chelsea in big win over Birmingham

Matildas captain Sam Kerr maintained her blistering form with a hat-trick for Chelsea against Birmingham City.

Sam Kerr (centre) celebrates after scoring in Chelsea’s 5-0 thrashing of Birmingham City. Picture: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Sam Kerr has warmed up for the Matildas’ two-game series against the USA by scoring a hat-trick for Chelsea in the Blues’ 5-0 English Women’s Super League thrashing of Birmingham City.

The Matildas captain scored all her goals in the first half. On securing her hat-trick in the 44th minute, Kerr celebrated with her trademark backflip.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes week described Kerr as “ one of the best strikers, if not the best striker, in the world”.

“Watching her develop in the last 18 months has been amazing,” Hayes said.

“There were lots of people who wondered how she would cope playing in European football. Not only has she adapted to that, but she’s excelled.”

WOW. 🤩#CFCWpic.twitter.com/MSvUTj2jBO

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) November 21, 2021

Chelsea’s win, which also included a Fran Kirby brace, kept them on the tail of competition leaders Arsenal, who beat Manchester United 2-0.

Matilda Steph Catley started for Arsenal while fellow Australian Caitlin Foord came off the bench for the winners.

Another Matildas attacker, former Brisbane Roar star Hayley Raso, opened her account for Manchester City, scoring twice in City’s 5-0 weekend thumping of Aston Villa, whose side included Raso’s national teammate Emily Gielnik, who was a 69th-minute substitute.

Kerr, Catley, Foord, Raso and Gielnik will return to Australia this week for two matches – the first of which is on Saturday night in Sydney – against the Americans.

Originally published as Matildas captain Sam Kerr nets hat-trick for Chelsea in big win over Birmingham