Chelsea’s most productive player is an Aussie full-back and the Matildas star is having a season to remember

Ellie Carpenter fuelled Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Winonah Heatley’s Roma in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, scoring another goal amid a memorable 2026-27 campaign.

Second-half goals from Matildas defender Carpenter and Kadeisha Buchanan made sure Chelsea maintained their strong start to this year’s Champions League at Plough Lane on Thursday (AEDT).

Substitute Carpenter combined with Wieke Kaptein for the 51st minute goal which broke Roma’s resistance as the Australian full-back marked her 50th Champions League appearance with a goal.

And central defender Buchanan wrapped up the win in the 89th minute, ensuring a second win in three European matches for Sonia Bompastor’s unbeaten team.

For Carpenter, it continued her extraordinary season as she continues to flourish in a more attacking role for Chelsea.

Carpenter has seven goal contributions (four goals, three assists) across all competitions – a team high for WSL giants Chelsea.

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor said via UEFA: “Ellie is performing at a good level.

“She is scoring many goals for us, she is full of confidence, she goes in the box and when she gets in the box she takes her chance and she is scoring, which is great. She is really impacting the results for us right now so we need to keep her in that form.”

Carpenter added: “I’m a right-back, but I love getting forward. I love helping this team defend, attack, score goals, win. Just doing everything for the team.”

Chelsea were on top in the first half. Lexi Potter was narrowly wide with a low shot from 20 yards in the second minute, then Roma goalkeeper Rachele Baldi parried an effort from Alyssa Thompson on to the crossbar, before saving from Lauren James.

After Roma defender Shukurat Oladipo produced a timely tackle to deny Aggie Beever-Jones a chance to double the lead, Kaptein shot over just before the half-hour mark, then James had a close-range shot blocked by Maya Antoine.

Bompastor brought on Carpenter and Sjoeke Nusken for Thompson and James at the interval – and the hosts were ahead soon after.

Carpenter made a powerful run and, after finding Kaptein, converted the resulting cross from the right with a low shot which took a deflection off defender Winonah Heatley and deceived Baldi.

Lucy Bronze took the captain’s armband on her 35th birthday, as Keira Walsh and Melvine Malard replaced Erin Cuthbert and Beever-Jones.

Roma had to wait until the 66th minute for their first clear chance, with Maya Doms firing over, before Malard and Nusken had good chances to double Chelsea’s advantage in quick succession – but their efforts were off-target.

The visitors’ best opening came in the 78th minute but Alayah Pilgrim wasted it, firing over from a good position.

And the hosts made sure of the win when Buchanan headed home.

Meanwhile, Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord were at the heart of Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Benfica.

Matildas pair Catley and Foord both had assists for the Gunners, who were led by hat-trick hero Alessia Russo.

Catley, Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross all started for Arsenal.

In other matches, Bayern Munich fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Real Madrid and preserve their unbeaten home record at this stage of the competition.

And Servette Chenois claimed a historic maiden Champions League win at the ninth attempt as they brushed aside OH Leuven 5-1 in Geneva.