Departing Chelsea sporting director Michael Emenalo watches Ladies team cruise towards Champions League quarter-finals by thrashing Rosengard
- Fran Kirby, Ramona Bachmann and Gilly Flaherty scored in Chelsea Ladies' win
- Blues were rampant in first leg having knocked Bayern Munich out in last round
- Exit-bound sporting director Michael Emenalo was a spectator at Kingsmeadow
Chelsea Ladies look bound for the Women's Champions League quarter-finals after another European show of force saw Rosengard routed in their last-16 first leg at Kingsmeadow.
Emma Hayes' team, who saw off Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in the last round, put three past Europe's third-ranked side to give them a big lead to take to Sweden for next Wednesday's second leg.
Fran Kirby grabbed the opener before Ramona Bachmann and Gilly Flaherty emphasised the Blues' superiority on the night, with Chelsea's departing sporting director Michael Emenalo an interested spectator.
Chelsea Ladies cruised to a Champions League last-16 victory over Rosengard on Wednesday
Departing Chelsea sporting director Michael Emenalo watched on from the stands
Chelsea have romped to the top of the domestic Women's Super League this season, scoring 19 without conceding in their opening four games, and they increasingly look a force on the continent, too.
They beat Bayern 1-0 at Kingsmeadow last month and then secured passage to this stage on away goals in a 2-1 defeat in Germany, with Kirby's second-half strike in Munich proving the difference.
And the diminutive England forward made the effort to separate Chelsea from their illustrious opponents again on Wednesday night.
Rosengard had been pinned back for long periods of the opening half-hour with goalkeeper Zecira Musovic in regular action but with Chelsea failing to break the deadlock.
That changed on 33 minutes when Maren Mjelde picked out Kirby's run, allowing her to fool two covering defenders by cutting back on herself before curling left-footed into the bottom corner.
Fran Kirby gave the Blues the lead in the 33rd minute after some relentless early pressure
Ramona Bachmann doubled Chelsea's lead in the second half as they took control of the tie
Rosengard looked to push back for a valuable away goal at the start of the second half but in a partnership of Bachmann and Kirby, Chelsea always looked to have a threat on the counter.
The former hit the second goal of the night after 66 minutes, Ji So-yun threading a pass through to the unmarked Austrian out on the left to allow her to take a touch before hammering across the keeper and in.
Then, still forward from a set piece, centre back Flaherty added a third when Kirby's shot was blocked allowing her to volley at goal to seal victory.
Emenalo, who announced this week that he was leaving Chelsea after 10 years working as a close aide to owner Roman Abramovich, was among the delighted fans in the Kingsmeadow stands.
Gilly Flaherty wheels away to celebrate the third goal of the Champions League first leg win
Manager Hayes said: 'What a performance from the team. Dominant from the start and a clean sheet to boot.
'I'm really enjoying watching my team grow in this competition. [It's] only half-time but our confidence is growing.'
Chelsea head to Sweden with a three-goal lead under their belts, where they will expect to secure a place among the European giants in next year's quarter-finals.
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