Alyssa Thompson fires debut goal as Chelsea defeat Paris FC in first Champions League victory

Chelsea Women ran riot at Stamford Bridge in their second match of the newly revamped Women's Champions League group stage. 

Goals from Sandy Baltimore and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd fired up the Blues, with Erin Cuthbert and Alyssa Thompson sealing the deal in the second half. It was a much-improved performance from head coach, Sonia Bompastor’s side, after the team drew 2-2 at FC Twente last time out.

Starting with a back three, Bompastor relied on Millie Bright, Nathalie Björn, and Baltimore to provide a strong defensive line, with Aggie Beever-Jones leading the attack.  

Chelsea faced Paris FC once before in the group stage last season, where forward Sam Kerr scored a hat-trick, giving the team a comfortable 4-1 victory at Stamford Bridge. Fran Kirby, Guro Reiten and Mia Fishel struck in Paris, where a final goal from Maren Mjelde ensured the Blues went to the next stage as group winners. 

Paris FC started the campaign last season with a heavy defeat to Manchester City on aggregate in the qualifying round. This denied the team a return to the group stage of the competition, which they had reached for the first time in 2023-24. 

With both sides eager to prove themselves once again, it was set to be an exciting game. 

First Half

Lining up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, Chelsea showed intent from the start, fielding a strong defensive line and a confident attacking setup. 

With Lucy Bronze returning from injury, Bompastor had more options in defence, while Lauren James remained sidelined. Paris FC, meanwhile, lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, aiming to stay compact and hit on the counter.

Chelsea began strongly, dominating possession and showing composure on the ball. Early attempts came from Wieke Kaptein, whose effort went wide in the fourth minute, and Cuthbert, who tested the keeper in the fifth. 

The Blues looked determined to strike first, with Beever-Jones causing problems for the Paris defence and seeing one of her efforts blocked.

Paris FC’s goalkeeper was called into action several times, producing solid saves to deny Chelsea’s early pressure. Beever-Jones looked particularly dangerous up front, supported well by Cuthbert and Kaneyrd. The French side, however, remained organized at the back, absorbing wave after wave of Chelsea attacks.

In the 24th minute, Chelsea were awarded a penalty after contact between Paris FC defender Anaële Le Moguedec and Chelsea midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken in the box. 

The decision, confirmed after a brief VAR review, was considered by some observers to be harsh. Baltimore calmly converted, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Chelsea a 1–0 lead in the 31st minute

Paris suffered a setback shortly after when one of their players required treatment following a collision. Chelsea capitalised on the break in play, continuing their pressure, and soon found a second goal. In the 39th minute, Kaneyrd doubled the lead with a well-placed header following a long ball from Thompson to Kaneyrd, who delivered a precise cross into the box.

Chelsea maintained control as the half drew to a close, pressing high and moving the ball quickly. 

Paris FC struggled with poor defending and frequent turnovers. In stoppage time, the Blues attempted to add a third — a long-range strike from Kaneyrd sailing just over the bar — but the score remained 2–0 at half-time.

Second Half

Chelsea began the second half in complete control, confidently dictating the tempo and dominating possession. Their composure on the ball and quick transitions immediately put Paris FC on the back foot.

Just moments after the restart, Chelsea extended their lead. In the 47th minute, a clever cross found Thompson, who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net to make it 3–0. The Blues were now cruising, moving the ball fluidly and pressing high in the final third.

Paris FC continued to struggle defensively, committing several unforced errors and allowing Chelsea too much space. Their first shot on target didn’t arrive until midway through the half — a tame effort easily collected by Hannah Hampton, who had been largely untested up to that point.

Chelsea’s attacking momentum continued as Thompson went close again with an acrobatic effort that flew just wide. A series of substitutions followed, with fresh legs maintaining the intensity. Notably, Bronze made her first appearance in the Champions League since returning from injury in the 59th minute, drawing loud applause from the Chelsea supporters.

The dominance soon paid off again. In the 62nd minute, Cuthbert added a fourth goal for Chelsea, slotting home from close range after a corner caused chaos in the French side’s box. The ball appeared to take a deflection before falling to Cuthbert, who reacted quickest to make it 4–0.

Chelsea continued to press, with Kerr and Maika Hamano both testing the Paris goalkeeper from range. 

The visitors’ defence looked increasingly disjointed, with misplaced passes and slow reactions under pressure. Paris made several substitutions — bringing on fresh players in an attempt to regain composure — but struggled to create any meaningful chances.

Hamano nearly made it five with a close-range attempt that was well saved. Chelsea, relentless in attack, continued to dominate possession — 66% to Paris’s 34%.

Late substitutions for both sides followed, as Chelsea managed the game confidently heading into the final minutes. 

Paris tried to push forward, but their attacks lacked power and precision. In stoppage time, Chelsea had one final chance: an open goal opportunity that was sent narrowly over the bar.

The match ended Chelsea 4–0 to Paris FC, a commanding performance defined by strong possession play, clinical finishing, and an impenetrable defensive line.

Post-Match 

Speaking to the media after the final whistle, midfielder and goal-scorer Cuthbert reflected on the team’s strong display:

“I’m happy with the performance — happy we got some goals in today. I think we fully deserved that opportunity. We could’ve been even more clinical, but I think we definitely built some good performances.”

Although the Blues did not have the desired start, only securing the draw against FC Twente, Cuthbert responded to doubts with the positives from matchday two:

“It was a really good performance and result overall. After matchday one against Twente, we knew we needed a strong start, and by matchday two, you’re really starting to settle into the competition.”

Bompastor praised her team’s mentality and progress, while highlighting the importance of continuing to refine key details:

“With the [WSL] game against Spurs, they did really well in blocking a lot of situations we usually create in the box. The only thing you can do is keep working hard… You have to focus on those fine margins — making sure players bring ruthlessness in terms of mentality and intent to make first contact in the box. It’s about improving the connection between players and ensuring they’re in the right positions. These details are so important.”

Whilst Chelsea showed dominance against Paris FC, the team must stay grounded as a collective as they look ahead:

“But yes, that’s our mentality. Tonight, it went better, but for future games we need to stick together and stay resilient.”

What's Next 

Chelsea face SKN St Pölten in the next fixture of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge on the 11th of November (8PM KO), while Paris FC travel to Madrid on the same day (8 PM KO). 

With only one point on the board for Paris FC, whereas four for Chelsea, both sides will look to build on their performances and improve their form after the international break. All eyes are on progression to the knockouts in the Champions League.