Kaptein stunner gives Chelsea 1-0 win over Austria Wien — SkimNews
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- Wieke Kaptein scored the only goal in the 12th minute, collecting a loose ball 25 yards out and hammering it in off the underside of the bar after Sandy Baltimore's run was stopped by a sliding tackle.
- Chelsea Women opened their Women's Champions League campaign with a nervy 1-0 victory over Austria Wien at Plough Lane on Wednesday, 23 September 2026.
- Keira Walsh was forced off injured after 20 minutes and replaced by Potter in an enforced substitution — a concern for Chelsea ahead of Sunday's WSL fixture at home to Arsenal, live on Sky Sports.
- Livia Peng fumbled a short-corner routine, palming a shot back into danger where Virginia Kirchberger lifted the rebound over the bar.
- Sjoeke Nusken squandered a free header from 10 yards out, volleying Carpenter's cross wastefully over the bar when she should have settled the contest.
- Modesta Uka struck the post from the corner of the area in the 77th minute as Austria Wien pushed for an equalizer that would have punished Chelsea's wasteful finishing.
Why it matters: Chelsea bank the three points in their Champions League opener, but Walsh's 20th-minute injury leaves a midfield question mark for Sunday's WSL clash with Arsenal. Austria Wien's late pressure — Uka's 77th-minute shot off the post, Nusken's glaring miss, Kirchberger's sitter from Peng's fumble — exposed a shaky Chelsea display that tougher group-stage opponents will exploit.
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