Chelsea beat A-League All-Stars 3-0 in Sydney pre-season

Photo: Katie Chan / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Chelsea completed a perfect pre-season tour of the southern hemisphere with a 3-0 win over an A-League All-Stars side at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday, making it 10 goals scored and none conceded across two friendlies.

Sandy Baltimore opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a precisely angled left-footed strike into the top right-hand corner, set up by Alyssa Thompson from the left flank. Three minutes later, Sjoeke Nusken's shot from 12 yards crept under the goalkeeper's outstretched arm to make it 2-0 at the break.

The All-Stars defended resolutely for much of the second half, restricting Chelsea's clear-cut chances despite a series of substitutions from manager Sonia Bompastor. The home side also carried a threat on the counter-attack throughout.

Chelsea's third arrived in the 70th minute when summer signing Giulia Dragoni fed an unmarked Lexi Potter on the edge of the box, and the Academy graduate drove a powerful shot into the top right-hand corner.

Bompastor made three changes to the starting line-up that had beaten Auckland opposition 7-0 the previous Saturday. Hannah Hampton replaced Livia Peng in goal, Lucy Bronze captained the side in place of Kadeisha Buchanan, and Lauren James came into the XI after missing the New Zealand fixture.

Australia international Ellie Carpenter, representing Chelsea in her home country for the first time, received a rapturous reception from the Sydney crowd.

Chelsea open their competitive season on 27 August with a home UEFA Women's Champions League third qualifying round first leg against Real Sociedad.