16.12.2022 23:20 h

Chelsea ease into Women's Champions League last-eight

Chelsea beat Vllaznia 4-0 on Friday to join fellow Londoners Arsenal in the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals.

The English champions crushed the Albanian minnows 8-0 in the first meeting on home soil in October and were untroubled again as they won away and made it four wins from five Group A outings.

Sophie Ingle gave Chelsea a 12th-minute lead after Guro Reiten broke down the left before cutting the ball back into the area.

Fran Kirby added a second goal on 20 minutes from Jelena Cankovic's clever lay-off from a free-kick. The goal was Kirby's first in the Champions League in more than a year.

Katerina Svitkova headed Chelsea's third goal in the dying moments. Maren Mjelde then converted a stoppage-time penalty after a Vllaznia handball.

Sam Kerr, who scored four times in October's rout, had the ball in the net midway through the second half but her effort was ruled out for offside.

Paris Saint-Germain wrapped up the second qualifying place from Group A with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid.

Elisa De Almeida, with a 15th-minute header, and a penalty after an hour mark by Kadidiatou Diani set up the win for PSG.

Claudia Zornoza grabbed a late consolation for the Spanish side who hit the woodwork three times.

Roma went through from Group B after a 5-0 rout of Austria's St Poelten with four of the goals coming in the last eight minutes.

Wolfsburg, Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich had already made sure of their places in the knockout rounds.