Chelsea 3-0 Celtic: Blues cruise into Women’s Champions League knockout stage – as Sonia Bompastor continues good begin with eleventh straight win

Chelsea eased their way into the Women’s Champions League knockout stage with two games to spare after dispatching Celtic at Stamford Bridge.

Lucy Bronze opened the scoring in the second minute with a wonderful volley, and further goals from 19-year-old Wieke Kaptein and Eve Perisset ensured the west London team headed home with three points and a clean sheet.

This was new Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor’s 11th consecutive win in all competitions since she took over from Emma Hayes at the start of the season.

And so far it has been Celtic who have provided the Blues with perhaps one of their toughest moments. It was in the reverse fixture of Wednesday’s game where the Glasgow side put Bompastor’s team behind for the first time this season, before goals from Maika Hamano and Ashley Lawrence ensured the damage was undone before the final whistle.

This game was far from that – albeit fleeting – struggle. Chelsea dominated possession and clocked up a total of 25 shots to Celtic’s three.

After Bronze’s second minute goal found the back of Kelsey Daugherty’s net, the signs of a Celtic capitulation started to show.

Lucy Bronze celebrates opening the scoring with a superb volley in the first minute

Wieke Kaptein doubled Chelsea’s advantage but visitors Celtic avoided a capitulation

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor has overseen 11 consecutive wins since taking charge

And while Chelsea did double their lead through Wieke Kaptein just over 20 minutes later, a capitulation wasn’t what followed.

And this was much to the credit of a valiant Celtic defence who fought on until the last moment before an unfortunate hand ball by Shannon McGregor in the penalty area meant Eve Perisset was given a spot-kick, which she coolly converted.

Just a quick word on that Lucy Bronze goal – it was truly something to behold. Chelsea won a corner in the opening seconds and it was taken short to Guro Reiten, whose swinging cross was cleanly met by the laces of the Lioness star just inside the box. While Celtic goalkeeper Daughtery was able to get a hand to it, the ball carried too much punch and Chelsea had their lead.

Bompastor made six changes to the side which swept aside Manchester City at the weekend, with Catarina Macario coming in for Mayra Ramirez and Zecira Musovic starting between the sticks in place of Hannah Hampton.

The Blues have been in imperious form since the end of the Hayes’ tenure – they have not lost since May 1, with their 14-game winning streak in all competitions unmatched since Arsenal in 2018.

And with the games coming thick and fast at this stage of the season, Bompastor will appreciate her seemingly endless squad of superstars.