The Matildas skipper scored a superb first-half goal and linked up with Australia teammate Ellie Carpenter to create the Blues' late winner for Sjoeke Nusken in a thrilling 4-3 victory at their Kingsmeadow home on Sunday (Monday AEDT).
The goal, which sparked a joyful celebration from Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor, ensured the champions just about managed to cling on to their distant hopes of retaining the crown but, more importantly, boosted their push for Champions League qualification.
Eight days on and 17,000km away from the scene of last weekend's final defeat in Sydney, Kerr and Carpenter both looked surprisingly sharp after their exhausting tournament.
Bompastor decided to play Kerr from the start in the league for only the second time in a post-injury comeback season in which she's featured 13 times off the bench.
And she was rewarded when 32-year-old Kerr netted her third WSL goal this season, and 11th in all competitions as the Blues' leading 2025-26 scorer.
After Chasity Grant had given Villa a surprise lead, Kerr equalised in the 20th minute, latching on to Nusken's pinpoint through ball, beating the offside trap and firing left-footed past keeper Ellie Roebuck, who could have done better.
It was Kerr's first league goal since November and it kick-started Chelsea, who quickly went further ahead with a glancing header from Naomi Girma and a brilliant left-foot strike from player-of-the-match Lauren James.
But Chelsea nerves were left jangling as a quickfire double in the space of three minutes from Villa's Kirsty Hanson left the scores locked, remarkably, at 3-3 at the break.
Chelsea laboured for a winner after halftime but in the 82nd minute, a neatly-timed midfield interception from Carpenter saw her find Kerr, who with back to goal, teed up Nusken perfectly to curl home the winner.
"A lot of joy and some relief," beamed Bompastor. "We are fighting for Champions League places and this win is huge; you could see the celebrations after the winning goal reflected that."
Even though the win moves Chelsea back into second on 40 points, they're still nine behind leaders Manchester City, with only three matches left. Arsenal are third on 38 points, but have two games in hand.
But Kerr looks to be in fine form as Chelsea seek to overturn a 3-1 deficit against Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Another Sydney finalist Caitlin Foord had also scored for Arsenal in their 5-2 win over Spurs on Saturday, while Steph Catley also featured.
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