Chelsea opened their Women’s Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Austria Vienna, but Sonia Bompastor’s side were made to work far harder than expected at Plough Lane.
Wieke Kaptein’s stunning 25-yard strike after 11 minutes ultimately separated the sides, but Chelsea failed to build on their early advantage and spent large periods under pressure from opponents making their first appearance in the competition proper.
The Blues had opportunities to put the game beyond Austria Vienna, with Ellie Carpenter and Alyssa Thompson both going close before the interval. Sjoeke Nüsken later missed a particularly good chance from close range.
Instead, the visitors grew increasingly confident as Chelsea struggled to establish control. Livia Peng was forced into action after a mistake from a corner, while Modesta Uka struck the post late in the second half with the Chelsea goalkeeper beaten.
The victory therefore owed as much to Chelsea’s inability to concede as it did to their attacking play. They finished with the three points, but the performance offered little indication that Bompastor’s side have found their best level yet.
The manager acknowledged afterwards that Chelsea could have controlled the contest better and should have done more to put Austria Vienna out of reach.
Keira Walsh injury concern for Chelsea ahead of Arsenal clash
There was also an injury concern for Keira Walsh, who was substituted after 20 minutes and immediately headed down the tunnel. Bompastor said the midfielder had felt something in her quadriceps and that Chelsea would assess her ahead of Sunday’s WSL meeting with Arsenal.
Sonia Bompastor reveals why Keira Walsh was taken off after just 20 minutes in our Champions League opener. ⤵️
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) September 24, 2026
Walsh’s absence appeared to affect Chelsea’s control of midfield, particularly as Austria Vienna became more adventurous. The visitors repeatedly found opportunities to attack and were ultimately unfortunate not to take something from a match in which Chelsea had been overwhelming favourites.
Chelsea now face a significant test against Arsenal on Sunday before travelling to Lyon for their next Champions League fixture on September 30.
For a side chasing the one major club trophy missing from their collection, the opening-night result was important. The performance, however, leaves Bompastor with plenty to address.
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