The game would have been done and dusted had it not been for a magnificent intervention from Peyraud-Magnin, as she desperately palmed a fabulous effort from Kerr onto the post when it looked destined for the top corner. With the lead remaining at one, Hayes opted to tighten things up by replacing Ji and Kirby with Sophie Ingle and Jonna Andersson.
Although Juventus forced Berger into action twice in stoppage time, we saw out the game with relative ease to record our first-ever victory in the group stage of the Champions League.
Wolfsburg were victorious in the other game in Group A tonight, beating Servette 5-0. We’ll meet the Swiss side in our next two fixtures in the competition, the first of which is early next month amid a run of four straight games on the road. Before then, the bulk of the squad will link up with their respective national teams during the international break, with our next game taking place on the last weekend in October when we take on Manchester City for a place in the FA Cup final.
Juventus (4-3-3) Peyraud-Magnin; Lundorf, Gama (c), Salvai (Lenzini 73), Boattin; Rosucci (Caruso 81), Pedersen (Zamanian 88), Cernoia; Bonansea (Bonfantini 73), Girelli (Staskova 81), Hurtig
Unused subs Aprile, Hyyrynen, Nilden, Giai, Beccari, Pfattner
Scorer Bonansea 37
Chelsea (3-4-1-2) Berger; Bright, Carter, Eriksson (c); Cuthbert (Fleming 66), Ji (Ingle 75), Leupolz, Reiten; Harder; Kirby (Andersson 84), Kerr
Unused subs Musovic, Telford, Nouwen, England, Mjelde, Charles, Spence, Fox
Scorers Cuthbert 31, Harder 69
Referee Ivana Martincic (Croatia)