Only the crossbar has done with out Sam Kerr from making improvements to her grand goalscoring sequence in the Females’s Huge League.
Nonetheless despite missing out on the probability of hitting the target for an eighth league match in a row, the Matildas captain turned into as soon as restful all smiles on Sunday after her Chelsea aspect eked out a main 1-0 capture at Birmingham.
Kerr had been in line to compare the document of 9 consecutive scoring suits, insist by her Chelsea teammate Beth England, if she’d netted in the closing two games of the season.
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Nonetheless though she earned a uncommon blank after crashing an early shot against the woodwork, Chelsea’s nervy but laborious-earned victory turned into as soon as the supreme thing that mattered to Kerr as they moved four choices distinct and on the verge of successfully defending their title.
The champions gain upright one match left, a tricky one at home to Third-positioned Manchester United next Sunday, and ought to invent it three titles in a row ought to they emerge victorious.
Nonetheless any trek up would restful let in Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal, who, with Kerr’s Matilda colleagues Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Lydia Williams of their ranks, could per chance then restful spend the title with two more wins.
Earlier than Chelsea’s match, Arsenal had beaten Aston Villa 7-0, featuring a pair of needs from Kerr’s Dutch Golden Boot rival Vivianne Miedema, to place the stress on the Blues.
It regarded as if it could per chance actually be no mission for Chelsea as they began brightly and Kerr swivelled brilliantly to strike a fierce left-footed shot against the bar.
Nonetheless they bought bogged down as it began to teem with rain, regarded brief on tips and created painfully few opportunities.
Kerr had scored 9 times in her old seven WSL games but, uncharacteristically, rushed her most effective probability in 65th minute and regarded irritated to screw her shot huge.
Six minutes later, though, the company bought fortunate when awarded a penalty after Birmingham defender Lisa Robertson handled a spoiled along with her back to try, allowing Dane Pernille More difficult to convert coolly from the insist.
Even then, Birmingham came shut to an equaliser in the loss of life minutes, with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger thwarting Emily Whelan.
Kerr came off 5 minutes from time, offering a smile as she authorised that her probability of the document turned into as soon as gone.
Nonetheless her personnel can claim the title on Wednesday if Arsenal lose to local rivals Tottenham.
Quiet, the probabilities are for the title jog to transfer down to the closing Sunday with the Gunners at West Ham.