Vivianne Miedema enjoys big in the most important moments after her double Snap Manchester City saw the unbeaten run of Chelsea.
Chelsea went into the Women's Champions League collision on an undefeated series of 31 games in all competitions.
If they had avoided the defeat against City, which they had defeated in last weekend's League Cup final, and were also confronted in the Women's Super League on Sunday, the Sonia Bompastor team would have established an undefeated record for a WSL team.
City, however, had different ideas, with Miedema climbing the bank to score twice in the second half and to secure a 2-0 win in the first EB in Joie Stadium, so that Chelsea needed a turnaround next week if they want to reach the semi-final.
“It's such a difficult game,” Miedema told BBC Sport.
“We lost on Saturday and we used that as extra motivation. Champions League Nights in the joie have been pretty special so far, so I am really happy.
“You always want to start, but I am not in a position where I can play four many 90 minutes in a row. We have to be smart and I am happy that it worked today the way I wanted it to work.
“I like to play the big games. It is a special competition. The fans here too, it was a special evening. Hopefully we can take it a little further.”
The remarkable unbeaten line of Chelsea extended until the May last year. The blues had won 29 of their last 31 games prior to Wednesday's collision and attracted twice.
“We respect them so much,” said Miedema about Chelsea.
“They have been unreal again this season. We have to play twice more. It will be very difficult, but I think we can get a lot of confidence from this game.”
City lost the most important attackers Khadija Shaw and Aoba Fujino to injury, and both are doubtful for Sunday's competition with the blues.
In conversation with Dazn, Interim -Stadsbaas Nick Cushing said: “We know it will be difficult against Chelsea, so you will sometimes have to suffer and we have to take risks.
“I thought we had moments in the second half where we could have been better, but we defended the game much better tonight.
“From the final from the cup final there was a first disappointment, but many positive points in the game. Then you find out that you are losing two important players and it is just about opportunities. I believe in the group, I would not be here if I didn't do that. I think there are some small things that can make us much more and we showed that tonight.”
Miedema came up in the 60th minute, but ended the game with team -high Totals for Schoten on Target (three) and touches in the opposition box (six).
“We have to look at the team in the sense of playing a top team every three days,” said Cushing of the Miedema bench.
“I will probably do it again at the weekend, maybe not with VIV, but maybe with someone else.
“You have to be against Chelsea and you have to be fresh because they are a top team, so tonight I had a plan in terms of trying to get the best out of her in a short period. I have to find the next plan for the following!”
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