Chelsea manager Emma Hayes hailed Sam Kerr as “unbelievable” after the Matildas captain scored a hat-trick in the team’s 6-0 win over Bristol City.
The dominant victory secured the Women’s League Cup title for the Blues and saw Kerr take her total goal tally across all competitions to 16 while becoming the first player to score a Conti Cup final hat-trick.
She only to wait 90 seconds to celebrate her first goal of the game after Fran Kirby surged through the defence and found Kerr in support for a simple tap in.
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Kerr then had a brace within the opening 10 minutes with a left-foot shot into the corner with Kirby again providing the assist.
It prompted the 27-year old to backflip in celebration as Chelsea dominated early proceedings.
Having assisted Kerr for her first two goals of the game, Kirby then scored her own as she capitalised on a goalkeeping mistake.
She quickly made it two with Kerr turning provider after getting past Gemma Evans and putting in a through ball for her fellow striker.
Kerr made it a hat-trick in the 49th minute before Guro Reiten sealed the sixth goal for Chelsea with Kirby again the creative spark for Hayes’ side.
“Today was a performance from a team that is very confident at the moment. Qualifying for the quarters of the Champions League has given us so much confidence,” the Blues manager said to BT Sport.
“I thought we were unbelievable for the first 60 minutes. The pace, the intensity, the cohesiveness of the team. Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby were unbelievable today.”
Kerr may have made an individual statement alongside Kirby in the win but was quick to credit her teammates post-game.
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“It was a massive team performance today,” she said.
“Every game, we’re getting more cohesive. Emma put up on the board today the number of trophies we can win, it’s important to get this one ticked off.
“Fran is easy to play with, I can trust her on the ball.”
As for her spectacular celebration after the second goal…
“The backflip? The girls have been asking me to do it,” she said.
“I’ve been too tired with all the games we’ve been playing!”
