Fans have applauded the actions of Chelsea’s Sam Kerr as she sent a pitch invader tumbling to the floor during their Champions League group stage match against Juventus.
A video shows a man filming himself on his phone entering the pitch for several moments, with no security in view, before he reluctantly began to walk towards the dugout.
As he did so, Kerr, who was clearly frustrated at the man’s presence, shoulder barged him to the floor, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The Australian would receive a yellow card for her actions, but was defended by her manager Emma Hayes, who called on authorities to think more about player safety.
“We’ve seen with the growth of the game there is this sense of the players being more in demand,” she said.
“It should serve as a reminder to us all in our stadiums and with our stewards that we’ve got to put player protection first.”
Kerr was also praised by social media users afterwards, with one user saying the decision to book the forward was “ridiculous.”
However, others were keen to point out that it was unnecessary for the Australian, who scored two goals to help her side win the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday, to react to the trespasser.
Twitter users were questioning what the outcome would be if it were a male player involved in the incident.
For some, it brings back memories of when cricketer Andrew Symonds, a fellow Australian, sent a streaker flying during a One Day International against India.
On the pitch, Kerr and Chelsea were frustrated by their opponents Juventus, as they couldn’t find the breakthrough needed to qualify for the quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League.
They will now need a point when they go to Wolfsburg on the final matchday on Thursday, December 16.
