Violent scenes overshadow Chelsea women's defeat of PSG

The arrest of a traveling Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fan by police for possession of illegal drugs, the discovery of a cache of weapons and damage to Chelsea Women's home court overshadowed the London club's 2-0 win in the first leg of a Women's Champions League quarter-final on Thursday.

In a statement issued after Thursday's tie, London's Metropolitan Police said that at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), officers were called to reports of a group of PSG supporters causing criminal damage at Kingsmeadow Stadium in Kingston, southwest of London.

Officers attended but all those involved had left the scene, the statement explained. It added that later in the day police were made aware of "sporadic instances of disorder" involving PSG supporters at London's Waterloo and Wimbledon railway stations.

PSG fans show supporting scarfs during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final 1st leg match between Chelsea and PSG at Kingsmeadowin, London, March 21, 2019. /VCG Photo

Police said those involved were identified and when they attended Kingsmeadow Stadium later Thursday for the evening kick-off they were stopped, with officers discovering weapons when they boarded a coach that had taken PSG fans to the game.

"A coach they traveled in was searched and weapons, including knives and knuckle dusters, were recovered along with class A (illegal) drugs," police said.

"One man from the coach was arrested for possession of class A drugs and the remaining passengers were escorted from the area by police. Enquiries continue."

Chelsea and PSG do have a history of violence when it comes to men's matches. In 2004, before a Champions League match in Paris, some 150 members of Chelsea's notorious "Headhunters" group fought with PSG hooligans, with a pre-season match in London in 2006 and another Champions League tie in Paris in 2014 leading to further violent exchanges involving supporters of the two clubs.

Hannah Blundell of Chelsea and Ashley Lawrence of PSG battle for the ball during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg match at Kingsmeadowin, London, March 21, 2019. /VCG Photo

On the field, Hannah Blundell and Erin Cuthbert scored late goals as Chelsea won 2-0 on Thursday. Blundell curled Chelsea ahead with a brilliant left-foot shot with 17 minutes left in London before Cuthbert slotted home a second just before full-time.

PSG's Chinese striker Wang Shuang replaced Aminata Diallo at the beginning of the second half, but didn't make a miracle to the visitors.

Scotland midfielder Cuthbert will miss next week's return leg in France though after she was booked in stoppage time. Chelsea reached the semi-finals last season before losing to Wolfsburg, while PSG finished as runners-up in 2015 and 2017.

For the other six teams in the quarter-final, Czech Republic side Slavia Praha made a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich, Barcelona outshone LSK Kvinner of Norway with a 3-0 home win, and the reigning champions Lyon defeated last season's runner-ups Wolfsburg 2-1.