It would take just 13 minutes for the deadlock to be broken by City, as Kerolin netted with a deflected strike after Naomi Girma failed to deal with a cross from the right. Chelsea did have the ball in the net at the other end soon after as Wieke Kaptein headed home Lauren James’ delivery, albeit from a marginally offside position.
Sandy Baltimore began to come into the game on the left and created a couple of dangerous situations, whistling a powerful strike just past the post while her incisive pass saw Erin Cuthbert have a shot tipped over the bar. Keira Walsh also came close twice with near-identical strikes from the edge of the box after a corner. But with less than 10 minutes to go until half-time, City doubled their lead through Shaw after Kaptein lost the ball in the midfield. Shaw was far too strong for Girma, who she shrugged aside to bound through on goal and clip the ball over the onrushing Hannah Hampton.
Kerolin saw an audacious back-heeled attempt slip wide of the post just before the break, but would take the game beyond the visitors with a masterclass in finishing after the break. The 26-year-old Brazilian had the freedom of the Chelsea half to run through on goal and scoop the ball into the net for her second, before she completed her hat-trick on 54 minutes after a Hemp assist.
Kaptein was gifted a chance to get Chelsea on the scoresheet but could only shoot over the bar when through on goal, though the Blues would soon score through Thompson, who netted with a powerful strike from outside the area that gave goalkeeper Ayaka Namashita no chance.
But any hopes of a route back into the game were quickly quashed as Miedema rose highest from a corner and headed into the far corner of the net. Chelsea had been well beaten and could have no complaints about the nature of the scoreline in the end.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Etihad Stadium...
