The Dutch international opened the scoring early, converting a loose ball after a sliding tackle on Sandy Baltimore. Kaptein took a touch inside the box, unleashed a powerful shot that struck the underside of the cross‑bar before rattling in, giving the Blues the lead within minutes of kickoff.
Chelsea’s advantage was tempered by an early setback when England midfielder Keira Walsh was forced off after just 20 minutes with an unspecified knock. She was replaced by Ellie Potter, raising concerns ahead of the club’s domestic league clash with Arsenal on Sunday.
Austria Wien threatened to level the tie on several occasions. Goalkeeper Livia Peng palmed a short‑corner back into danger, allowing Virginia Kirchberger to head over the bar. Later, Louise Schoffel dribbled through the Chelsea defence and fired a low shot that missed the post by inches, while Modesta Uka struck the post from a sharp counter‑attack.
Chelsea also missed chances of their own. Kosovan forward Modesta Uka’s drive hit the post, and a free‑kick taken by Sjoeke Nusken was inexplicably thumped into the crowd behind the goal rather than toward the net.
The narrow win was described by the club as a “stern test” for a side that will face a crucial WSL fixture against Arsenal later this week. The result keeps Chelsea unbeaten in the opening round of the competition but highlights defensive vulnerabilities that could be exposed in upcoming domestic and European matches.