Sam Kerr has been labelled the complete centre forward by the Chelsea manager, Emma Hayes, after the Australia captain netted another double to help her side to a second piece of silverware in the space of a week.
Having scored two sensational volleys last weekend to help secure the Women’s Super League title with victory over Manchester United, Kerr was again on the scoresheet twice on Sunday as Chelsea won the Women’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Kerr hit the game’s opener in the first half and a 99th-minute winner – her seventh and eighth goals in four consecutive domestic cup finals – after Hayley Raso’s late equaliser for City levelled the score and sent the game into extra-time.
Kerr’s latest brace in front of a record crowd of 49,094 at Wembley completed a second extraordinary season in England for the Matildas captain, and left her manager in raptures.
“She is ridiculous,” Hayes said. “She’s got the lot. She’s got character, she’s got charisma, charm, she’s got courage in her play. We’ve got an amazing centre forward.
“There was a moment in the game when I thought, ‘she looks knackered’ but she just digs and digs and digs and digs and digs.”
Hayes added of Sunday’s extra-time period, “I always felt, ‘give Sam one chance, just give her one chance’.”
This season, Kerr won a second successive WSL golden boot, scoring 20 goals in 20 games, six clear of her nearest rival. She was voted Football Writers’ Association women’s footballer of the year and is favourite to win goal of the season for her title-clinching volley against United.
She added another seven goals in cup competitions including three in finals to make it eight goals in four English domestic decider, three of them won.
“WE DID THAT!!,” Kerr posted on Instagram after the dramatic contest at Wembley Stadium.
DOUBLE BABY 🏆💙
— Sam Kerr (@samkerr1) May 15, 2022
Hayes also praised Kerr for the job she did preventing City’s defence, including Australia’s Alanna Kennedy, playing the ball out from the back. It was an aspect noted by England international Izzy Christiansen, a former FA Cup winner with Manchester City.
“The athleticism and hunger and desire, the desire to put yourself on the line and do anything you can for your team,” the BBC television match pundit said. “The job Sam Kerr does off the ball for the team is remarkable. To have someone like that in your team is amazing.”
