Sam Kerr won praise after netting a double to lead Chelsea to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal to lift the English Women’s FA Cup on Sunday.

Kerr was involved in the build-up for Fran Kirby’s third-minute opener, before spurning a great seventh-minute chance straight at the opposition keeper inside the box.

The Matildas captain hit the crossbar in the 36^th minute after muscling her way on to the ball, before rifling in a low near-post strike in the 57^th minute.

Kerr raced forward and dinked in the third goal to settle the contest in the 77^th minute, winning praise from Chelsea manager Emma Hayes.

“Champions don’t make excuses, or become victims or look for anybody else to manage them,” Hayes said of Kerr.

“Sam takes responsibility, and every time I listen to her and every time I watch her perform every day, she’s in charge, she’s in control of making sure that she sets the standards for herself, and that’s what I admire about her.

“There was no way she was going to be on the losing team today. She sets that tone in such a way that I’ve rarely seen.”

Steph Catley started for the Gunners and played a full game, while Caitlin Foord was a 70^th minute sub.

Emily Gielnik started but was replaced at half-time as part of a triple change as Aston Villa won 7-0 at Sunderland in the WSL Cup.

Ellie Carpenter also started but went off at the break as Olympique Lyon eased past Fleury 4-0 in the French Feminine Division.

Elsewhere, Mary Fowler was a 66^th mnute sub in Montpellier’s 0-0 draw with Paris FC.

Beattie Goad was a 78^th minute substitute as Granadilla Tenerife defeated Rayo Vallecano 3-2 in the Spanish Primera Division Feminina.

Aivi Luik put in a full shift as Pomigliano lost 3-1 at Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A Women.

Amy Harrison was an unused sub as PSV Eindhoven won 1-0 over Ajax in the Dutch Women Eredivisie.