Sam Kerr takes down invading soccer fan and somehow gets punished
Chelsea fans aren’t happy about the handling of a pitch invader during Wednesday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League match between Chelsea and Juventus.
When the disrupter made his way onto the field, appearing to film the act on his cell phone, Chelsea player Sam Kerr body-checked the male to the ground.
The crowd roared with praise for Kerr for taking matters into her own hands during the potentially dangerous moment. But she wasn’t celebrated by referees, who hit the Australian forward with a yellow card over the incident.
The cheering quickly turned to boos when Swedish referee Sara Persson delivered the card.
One reporter claimed the runner made his way onto the pitch during the game to try and get a photo with Magda Eriksson — a Swedish defender for Chelsea.
“He could have waited until the end for a photograph if he really wanted one. But jokes aside, we do have to think about player safety,” Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said.
After Kerr’s hip-check, the invader got back on his feet and ran from what appeared to be two members of security.
Fans took to Twitter to compliment Kerr for her actions, and share frustration about her yellow card.
“Wait- she got a yellow card after protecting people for being in a situation they shouldn’t have ever been put in? If the guy would have had worse intentions & she full on stopped him would she still have gotten it?” one person tweeted, adding, “That’s bulls–t.”
Some fans expressed concern over the apparent lack of security at women’s soccer games.
“Sam Kerr leveling that idiot pitch invader is funny and all but I’m glad nobody got hurt and I mostly come away again worried about security at women’s soccer games,” one person wrote. “We’ve seen issues in the NWSL and w/USWNT in past years. We’re lucky these people haven’t had worse intentions.”
It’s unclear if the fan was disciplined or removed from the match between Chelsea and Juventus, which ended in a 0-0 Champions League draw.
Kerr has yet to address the situation publicly.
