Melvine Malard's Stunning Debut Powers Chelsea to 5-2 Victory
Melvine Malard needed just 12 minutes to turn a tight European tie into a statement debut.
The France forward, signed from Manchester United for about £850,000 this summer, came off the bench and struck twice as Chelsea overpowered Real Sociedad 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round at Cherry Red Records Stadium.
Shock start, sharp response
Sonia Bompastor’s first competitive game in charge started with a jolt. Only seven minutes in, Ainhoa Marin silenced the home crowd, bending a superb effort from the edge of the box into the top corner to put the visitors 1-0 up.
Chelsea, third in the Women’s Super League last season, needed a foothold. Their captain provided it.
On the half-hour, Naomi Girma rose to meet a corner from new signing Katie McCabe and powered in the equaliser. One new arrival supplying another, and the eight-time WSL champions were level and finally settled.
The pressure told again early in the second half. Another corner, another header. This time Lauren James whipped the delivery in and Dutch defender Veerle Buurman climbed highest to nod Chelsea into a 2-1 lead.
But Real Sociedad refused to fold. Cecilia Marcos hit back for the Spanish side, making it 2-2 and briefly draining the air from the stadium. For a moment, Chelsea’s European opener looked far more complicated than they would have wanted.
Malard takes over
Enter Malard.
Introduced in the 55th minute with the tie finely balanced, she wasted no time in rewriting the script. Released by Sjoeke Nüsken, Malard raced clear, rounded goalkeeper Julia Arrula and slid the ball into an empty net to restore Chelsea’s advantage.
That goal shifted everything. Confidence surged, passes sharpened, and Real Sociedad began to creak.
James then added her name to the scoresheet, tightening Chelsea’s grip and stretching the lead as the visitors struggled to live with the tempo and variety of Bompastor’s attack.
Malard wasn’t done. In the 88th minute, she completed a dream debut. Full-back Ellie Carpenter drove low across the face of goal and Malard, alive to the moment, arrived to tap home Chelsea’s fifth. A late double, a 5-2 victory, and a near-perfect introduction in blue.
Advantage Chelsea, bigger stages ahead
The second leg in Spain on Wednesday, 2 September (18:00 BST) now comes with a three-goal cushion and a clear path towards the tournament proper, just three days before Chelsea open their WSL campaign against Aston Villa.
This season, the Blues will stage their home domestic cup and European league-phase fixtures at Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium, while all WSL home games move to Stamford Bridge.
On this evidence, both grounds could be seeing plenty of Champions League football — and plenty more of Malard’s finishing — before the season is done.
