Celtic suffer fourth consecutive defeat in Women's Champions League

Celtic have suffered their fourth consecutive defeat in the Women’s Champions League.

Any faint hopes the Hoops had of reaching the quarter-finals have now been dashed following Wednesday’s 3-0 loss at Chelsea.

The SWPL champions are the first Scottish side to take part in the group stages of the continent’s flagship tournament.

But with two games still remaining, they already know that is how far they will get after failing to score any points in their first four games.

They are now nine points behind Real Madrid and 12 off Chelsea, who continued their 100% start at Stamford Bridge.

Despite some encouraging performances, Elena Sadiku’s side have scored just once and conceded 11 in the group so far.

On Wednesday in London, they were simply outclassed and only managed 27% possession as the in-form English Super League team cruised to a routine victory.

Chelsea eased into the last-eight with two games to spare thanks to goals from Lucy Bronze, who opened the scoring after just two minutes, Wieke Kaptein, who doubled the lead midway through the first half, and Eve Periset, who added a third from the penalty spot in second-half injury-time.

Sonia Bompastor’s side has now won 11 from 11 games in all competitions. They kicked off knowing a point would be enough to guarantee them a place in the knockout stages.

Bompastor demanded a fast start from Chelsea, and she got it, with Bronze opening the scoring after just 65 seconds.

From a short corner, Catarina Macario sent in a deep cross, and Bronze hooked in a volley at the far post.

It was not the most powerful hit from the England right-back, and Celtic keeper Kelsey Daugherty got a hand to it, but she was unable to keep it out.

It was a nightmare start for the Scottish champions, still without a point in their maiden group-stage campaign.

They managed to steady the ship, putting together some neat spells of possession without creating anything of note.

And Chelsea struck again from another corner routine after 25 minutes.

This time the ball came out to Guro Reiten, whose inviting delivery into the box was powerfully headed home by Dutch teenager Kaptein.

Bompastor, who made six changes from the team which beat Manchester City 2-0 on Saturday, was able to switch things up at half-time and bring on in-form Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez for Macario, who is still working her way back to full fitness.

Chelsea poured forward, with Kaptein and Maelys Mpome seeing long-range shots fly narrowly over the crossbar. Kelly Clark cleared Reiten’s effort off the line.

Kaptein should have found the net on the hour with another header from Bronze’s cross but planted the ball straight at Daugherty.

Millie Bright saw a goalbound header blocked from another corner and Reiten’s fierce drive was charged down by Emma Lawton.

Ramirez almost added a third when she tried to glance in Ashley Lawrence’s cross at the near post but the ball flew across goal and wide.

With the clock ticking down, there was a big moment for 17-year-old Lola Brown as Bompastor sent her on for a senior debut.

But it looked as though a third goal would elude Chelsea until, in stoppage time, Bronze went on a mazy run into the box and her cross was blocked by the arm of Shannon McGregor, allowing Perisset to lash home the spot-kick and add some gloss to a satisfactory night’s work.