Chelsea boss Bompastor “really proud” of “quality” Ellie Carpenter | OneFootball

Australian defender Ellie Carpenter on signing for Chelsea

New signing Ellie Carpenter was the undisputed player of the match on Friday as defending champions Chelsea kicked off their 2025-26 Women’s Super League campaign with a 2-1 win over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

And Blues head coach Sonia Bompastor wasn’t in the least surprised that the Australia international made such an immediate impact as an attacking wing back – putting the cross in for Aggie Beever-Jones’s opener.

“I know Ellie by heart, and I’m not really surprised about her Chelsea debut and her debut in the league,” said Bompastor after the match. “She’s a great player. As you could see tonight, she brought an immediate impact on the performance and on the result.

“She has this quality, so it’s a good addition to our squad and it’s good to have her here. Having the opportunity to bring players with her quality into Chelsea is always something really positive, and we are really proud to have her in our squad.”

Bompastor was also pleased with the all-round display, with Sam Kerr – another Australia international – back in the squad after almost two years out with a knee ligament injury, although she did not get minutes on the pitch. Maika Hamano scored Chelsea’s second goal before an own goal from Niamh Charles gave the visitors hope in the closing minutes.

“We had a strong start to the season tonight, and I’m pleased with that. But it’s only the first game, and it’s always important to start with three points, but we still have a long way to go.”

Ellie Carpenter’s player-of-the-match performance

According to statistics published on the club’s official website, during the match Carpenter won eight of nine total duels, winning back possession in seven instances, making six tackles and two interceptions, and going forward she created two chances and put in six crosses to the box.

Bompastor is very familiar with Carpenter, who she previously managed at Lyon.

The 25-year-old won four league titles and two Coupes de France during her time in France from 2020 to the summer of this year, as well as two UEFA Women’s Champions League crowns.

She previously spent two years with Portland Thorns in the NWSL, and, in her native Australia, featured for Western Sydney Wanderers and Canberra United.

She has almost 100 caps for the Matildas, for whom she has played at the Women’s World Cup and at the Olympc Games, and also represented her country at junior international level.