Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor promised there was more to come from record-signing Alyssa Thompson after she scored her first goal for the club in their 4-0 win against Paris FC at Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old, who arrived from NWSL side Angel City FC at the beginning of Septermber, knocked in the Blues’ third goal to effectively kill the game off and earn a first victory at the second attempt in this season’s Women’s Champions League, as they emerged from their recent goalscoring drought in emphatic fashion.
A Sandy Baltimore penalty in the first half — a contentious award after Sjoeke Nüsken was tripped — was followed by a fine looping header from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, before Thompson drilled home Kiera Walsh’s low cross.
“She brings a lot of speed up front, she’s a player who is really comfortable on the ball,” said Bompastor of the United States international. “She takes risks, attacks defenders one vs. one. It’s really difficult to defend against her. She brings a lot of crosses when she goes outside and she can finish in the box like she did tonight.
“She’s been working hard. The first goal for a forward or a winger is really important for the confidence.
“She got an engine. She has a desire to help the team in and out of possession. If she has to run to help defend, she’s able to do that.
“We haven’t seen yet the best of her, but hopefully we’ll see that soon.”
Erin Cuthbert scrambled a fourth goal home from virtually on the line after getting on the end of substitute Sam Kerr’s header.
Chelsea had previously managed just two goals from open play in their previous three games, plus a penalty scored in their disappointing Champions League draw with Twente a week ago, but this result got their European season going in style.
“Most important is the character we’ve shown in the last two games,” said Bompastor. “I’m direct and honest with my players. I’ll always protect them [in the media], but when I have to analyse the game, I’m direct with them.
“When I tell them something didn’t work I make sure I’m the one giving them simple things to achieve.
“If you drop five, 10 percent of your energy, you’re in trouble. The most difficult thing in football is to stay at that level.
“In this situation you need to keep working hard and stay confident. It’s about keeping the same mentality and staying focused on the main thing – finishing and being clinical.”
Paris boss Sandrine Soubeyrand reflected on a brave display from her side, for whom their trip to west London proved a bridge too far.
“It was a fair result,” said the 198-cap former France international. “Frustrating with the penalty, the ball was high in the air and didn’t look like it was playable.
“Chelsea have high ambition and we knew that before the game. We defended well despite giving them obvious chances. We have a lot less international players than they do.”
In this year’s new format, the 18-team league phase ends in December. Teams that finish first to fourth in the standings advance directly to the quarterfinals. Those ranked Nos. 5 to 12 go to a knockout playoff round. The bottom six teams are eliminated.
Information from PA was used in this story.