London, Aug 26: Chelsea made a strong start to their Women’s Champions League qualifying campaign by defeating Real Sociedad 5-2 in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie.
Melvine Malard marked her competitive debut for the London club with two goals, helping Chelsea establish a commanding advantage before the return fixture.
Chelsea’s attacking players consistently troubled the Spanish defence, while the five-goal performance gave the English side valuable momentum heading into the second leg.
Real Sociedad managed to score twice, ensuring Chelsea cannot afford to become complacent when the teams meet again. However, the three goal cushion leaves the English club in a favourable position to advance to the league phase.
Malard’s immediate impact will also provide encouragement to Chelsea’s coaching staff as the club continues to build its squad for another demanding European campaign.
Chelsea’s performance highlighted their attacking depth and ability to respond to pressure in a high-stakes qualifying match. The return leg will determine whether the club completes its progress into the next stage of the competition.
