Sam Kerr has once again demonstrated her undeniable prowess in the Women's FA Cup, netting two goals for Chelsea that propelled the defending champions into the fifth round of the tournament. This match took place on Saturday against Crystal Palace, a team from WSL2, and marked another chapter in Kerr's remarkable history with the competition. Over the years, she has been a key player in securing five goals across three victorious finals, underscoring her knack for performing in crucial moments. In this particular clash, Chelsea dominated their opponents, winning decisively with a score of 5-0, and Kerr's performance earned her the title of player of the match.
Kerr showcased her skill with a precise shot that put Chelsea ahead 2-0 at the 22-minute mark, followed by a stunning header just six minutes into the second half, solidifying her statement made before the match that she "is getting back to her best level." However, her manager Sonia Bompastor opted to substitute the 32-year-old shortly after the hour mark, bringing on her Matildas teammate Ellie Carpenter, which meant Kerr would miss out on the opportunity to achieve her first hat-trick since returning from a serious ACL injury in September.
Despite that, Kerr's remarkable consistency is becoming increasingly evident, as she's now scored a total of nine goals this season. It's noteworthy that she leads as the top scorer for the reigning English champions, even though she missed the initial games of the season and spent a significant amount of time coming off the bench during the closing minutes of matches.
"Every time I went out onto the pitch in the few games before Christmas, I scored or assisted. I think now it's just down to playing time, and I'd obviously like to be on the pitch as much as possible," Kerr elaborated in an interview on the club's website prior to the match. She added, "Every game, I can feel myself getting better and better. During the Wolfsburg and Liverpool games, I felt like myself again."
The goals scored during this match were particularly significant for Kerr, marking her first in the Women's FA Cup since she clinched victory for Chelsea in the 2023 final against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium. In her two previous finals, she had impressively scored twice in each. On Saturday, her teammates also contributed to the victory, with center-back Millie Bright kicking things off with a goal in the 13th minute, followed by Guro Reiten converting a penalty just before the half-hour mark, and Alyssa Thompson sealing the deal with a fifth goal in the 70th minute.
Yet, it was Kerr's second goal that left fans in awe, as she expertly connected with a brilliant cross from the left delivered by Norwegian star Reiten, guiding her header into the net with remarkable ease.
