Sam Kerr: Special Kerr brace shoots Chelsea to title

Sam Kerr has put the seal on a landmark week by scoring two quite dazzling volleyed goals to power Chelsea to a third consecutive Women’s Super League title.

With her side 2-1 down and their title hopes in serious jeopardy, the Australian captain blasted home a crucial thunderbolt equaliser at the start of the second half to launch a brilliant 4-2 comeback win over Manchester United on Sunday.

But that was just the warm-up act before Kerr provided an astonishing piece of skill in the 66th minute, taking the ball on her chest and swivelling instantly to hit a looped volley for her 20th – and best – WSL goal of the season.

It capped a fantastic week for the Matildas striker, who’d been crowned the English football writers’ women’s player of the year on Thursday.

Her special strikes, which saw her crowned the player of the match, also ensured she landed the Golden Boot for the WSL’s top scorer for the second successive season.

“I don’t set myself out to win the Golden Boot – I just do what I can for my team to win,” said Kerr afterwards, as she reflected on her extraordinary brace.

“With the first, I don’t score too many lefties but just saw it come and thought I’d hit it.”

What about the second, which saw her control a header from teammate Guro Reiten with back to goal before turning in an instant to lob the Manchester United goalie Mary Earps who’d strayed off her line?

“I dunno, I visualise scoring crazy goals like that all the time! I thought just try it, let’s have a pop.

“Guro headed it to me, it sat up nicely, I just chested it down and whacked it and it went in! I didn’t even know the keeper was out, I thought I’d just try it.”

But Kerr’s joy spelt heartbreak for three Matildas teammates, who had been hoping to lift the title with the Blues’ London rivals Arsenal on the final day of the season.

Steph Catley scored a fine second-half goal in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at West Ham, while Caitlin Foord also featured and Aussie international keeper Lydia Williams was on the bench.

Yet, agonisingly for Arsenal, their win still left them one point behind Chelsea, who lifted their fourth title in five years.

Once again, though, the champions were indebted to the big match brilliance of Kerr on a nervy afternoon at their Kingsmeadow home in south-west London where their title, at halftime, was slipping away as Arsenal led the title race on goal difference.

Martha Thomas had silenced Kingsmeadow by heading United in front in 13 minutes, before Chelsea’s Scottish international Erin Cuthbert pounced on a loose ball to smash home a right-footed equaliser five minutes later.

But United went 2-1 up at the interval with a first-time deflected volley from Ella Toone in the 25th minute and Kerr’s major contribution came in defence as she blocked a goal-bound volley from Maria Thorisdottir.

Yet the striker struck just 47 seconds after the break with her left-footed volley.

Normally, she’s a box predator but these two efforts were among only three she’s scored from outside the area this season.

Her goal kick-started Chelsea, who then went ahead with Reiten finishing off a slick team move before Kerr’s astonishing fourth.