It took Sam Kerr just 26 minutes to score her first and third goal for Chelsea in a 5-0 win over Birmingham City in the Women's Super League (WSL) on Monday morning (AEDT).
After Blues star Fran Kirby opened the scoring inside four minutes, it was Kerr that stepped up in front of goal as she found the top corner with a neat first-time finish after 17 minutes.
Just 11 minutes later, the Matildas attacker claimed her second from close range before she rounded out her first-half hat-trick in the 44th minute with a header and celebrated with a trademark backflip.
Kerr continued to cause Birmingham hell in the final third and claimed the assist for Chelsea's fifth and final goal which was converted by Kirby.
The Australian has now netted nine times across eight WSL appearances this season and has 23 goals in the competition across the calendar year.
Kerr will now return to Australia over the international break as the Matildas host the United States in two friendly matches.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 BACKFLIP! 🤩@SamKerr1 #CFCW pic.twitter.com/9gasPKoq39
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) November 21, 2021
Another Aussie also claimed a hat-trick overnight with Socceroo Martin Boyle scoring a crucial hat-trick for Hibernian in their 3-1 win over Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.
Like Kerr, Boyle's three goals all came inside the first 45 minutes as he rounded out his hat-trick with a penalty late in the first-half.
The 28-year-old now has 11 goals for Hibs across 14 appearances this season with Ange Postecoglou's Celtic now awaiting Boyle's team in the final next month.
This season's Scottish League Cup final is expected to be held on December 19 with Hibernian losing the previous final against St Johnstone.
Former Socceroos coach Postecoglou is chasing his first piece of silverware in Scotland and admitted he is simply meeting the required expectations after the Hoops edged past the reigning champions on Sunday.
"What matters is this football club expects to be in finals and playing for trophies. There’s no allowances just because we happen to be new in the building. We understand when we come to represent this football club they are the expectations," Postecoglou said post-match.
"It was tough but we expected it to be, it’s a semi-final and there was a lot at stake.
"St Johnstone are a tough team to play against in these conditions but I thought we kept our discipline and kept calm. We didn’t get too frustrated that we hadn’t scored and got our goal at a good time and could have had a couple more.
"I thought the supporters were outstanding tonight. I think they deserve to get to another final and show again what a great crowd they are."