Sam Kerr is delighted to have won her first piece of silverware as a Chelsea Women player just months after signing for the Blues and has high hopes that this is the first of three this season.
On Saturday night Chelsea edged London rivals 2-1 to secure our maiden Continental League Cup title at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground. Kerr’s strike-partner Bethany England scored both goals, including the stoppage-time winner to cancel out Arsenal’s late equaliser.
The Matildas captain played a big role in the match-winner as she hustled past Viktoria Schnaderbeck down the right flank to feed in the onrushing Maren Mjelde. The Norwegian, who also got the better of her marker, drilled a low cross across the face of the goal for England to poke home her 21st of the season.
A key reason why Kerr made the move to Chelsea from Chicago Red Stars and Perth Glory – where she split her playing time – was to win trophies. With the first one under her belt, she is hungry for more.
‘It feels amazing you know. These opportunities don’t come around often but with this team, it is an amazing feeling,’ Kerr said.
‘The last few times I’ve been to a final I’ve lost so it feels really good. Obviously, it wasn't easy, but we got the job done and that's all that matters really.
‘We knew they were going to come out and play hard after we beat them last time at their home and it was just about resilience.
‘They [Arsenal] played really well and they put us under a lot of pressure, but we always had that belief. We knew that if we kept going to the end that we would come up with something and it was Beth.’
The three-time golden boot winner of America’s National Women’s Soccer League is still adapting to her new surroundings in London and despite the climate change being a main factor for her, the 26-year-old has insisted the best of her is yet to come.
‘I love it, it’s been really enjoyable for me,' Kerr admitted. ‘It’s a learning curve and that’s why I came here to learn and get better.
‘I feel like it has challenged part of my game that I needed to be challenged and I’m really enjoying it. I’m loving the football life in London, it’s amazing.
‘It’s been a challenge, I’ve been sick, I’ve been injured and travelling around the world but this is what you come here for. There’s no secret, I came here to win trophies and this was one of those nights.
‘The team has been amazing, they’ve helped me a lot, the hardest part has probably been the cold.
‘It’s just been hard to adjust to, I’m not used to it or playing in freezing cold weather and I’ve picked up a few injuries from it.
‘I still think I have so much more to give and honestly the hardest part is just getting to know how the girls play.
‘As a striker, I want to score more but I’m not putting pressure on myself. I feel like I’m impacting the games and that’s what’s so great about this team, there’s so many players who can have an impact.'
The domestic season now takes a short pause for international duty and the forward has headed back to Sydney to resume Australia’s Olympic qualifiers. Kerr and the Blues return to club action on Sunday 15 March when we travel to Everton for the quarter-finals of the Women’s FA Cup.
The following week we then welcome Everton to Kingsmeadow for a Women’s Super League fixture. Tickets are £9 for adults and £1 for concessions.