Guro is Reiten time to score a brace as Blues win 4-0 at Bristol City
Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 win over a poor Bristol City at Stoke Gifford this afternoon in the WSL1.
A brace from Guro Reiten and a strike apiece from Ji So-Yun and Sophie Ingle we’re enough to see off the Robins.
The match was over as a contest after 17 minutes, By then the Blues were 3-0 up and going through the motions.
The importance of Reiten cannot be underestimated. She was brought into the side from Norway in the summer to add guile and a goal threat. She has brought both to a side that lacked both last season.
More importantly, Chelsea remain touching distance of Champions Arsenal and second place Manchester City.
Three minutes in and the Blues took the lease.
It was the first attack by the west Londoners and Guro Reiten was on hand to tuck the ball home from close range after an excellent breakaway.
Chelsea’s opening dominance resulted in their second goal on 10 minutes. A wonderful right wing cross, deep to the far post was met by Norway’s Reiten who, admittedly was unchallenged, smartly volleyed home from eight yards out.
Erin Cuthbert tried her luck on 16 minutes - again good work from Fran Kirby and Reiten set up the Scotland striker. She took a touch before letting fly with a right-footed sizzler, Sophie Baggaley tipped the ball away from goal.
But number three wasn’t long coming and this time So Yun Ji smushed hime the ball from just inside the Bristol penalty area. The ball ripping the back of the net between Baggaley and her right post.
Beth England was unlucky not to tuck home number four on 28 minutes. A long ball by skipper Magdalena Eriksson, Fred Kirby who raced clear. She cu the ball across goal, and the England international was about to score but was blocked six yards out by Jasmine Mathews.
There were no changes by either side at half-time.
It was Chelsea on the attack from the odd, and A Deft Kirby ball to England saw Baggaley save for a corner.
Emma Hayes opted to replace Ji with Maria Thorisdottir and Maria Bachman replaced Kirby on 65 minutes.
Bachman had a shot on target after excellent set-up play by Cuthbert. But the curling, right-footer from the edge of the Bristol penalty area went straight to Baggaley.
Thorisdottir tried her luck from range on 73 minutes forcing Baggaley to a low diving save to her left.
Hayes’ last substitution saw England replaced by Drew Spence.
Number four was a simple affair for Sophie Ingle to ram home from close range after a pinpoint cross from Cuthbert on the left.
Teams: Chelsea, Berger, Bright, Ingle, England, Ji, Reiten, Kirby, Eriksson, Mjelde, Andersson, Cuthbert
Subs:: Thorisdottir, Asante, Carter, Bachmann, Spence, Orman
Bristol City: Baggaley, Dykes, Evans, Matthews, Brown, Humphrey, Daniels, Wellings, Sargent, Harrison, Chance
Subs: Cummings, Van Der Linden, Salmon, Allen, Reilly, Robinson, Wilson
Referee: Lisa Benn