Real Madrid, Chelsea play out thrilling 2-2 draw in UEFA Women's Champions League opener
Posted : 16 November 2023
Real Madrid and Chelsea played to an exhilarating 2-2 draw at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, marking the start of their UEFA Champions League Group D campaigns with a point each. In a high-quality encounter in the Spanish capital, Spain's World Cup final hero Olga Carmona opened the scoring for Real Madrid after her long-range effort deflected off Millie Bright.
Chelsea responded strongly with Niamh Charles expertly heading home a cross from Ashleigh Lawrence, and later, WSL Champions took the lead as Sam Kerr netted a close-range header from Charles' delivery.
Throughout the evening, Real Madrid posed a threat on the break and seized an opportunity to level the score when Jessie Fleming was deemed to have fouled Athenea del Castillo in the box. Carmona converted the penalty, securing the equalizer. Chelsea thought they secured a late victory with a final-kick goal from Charles, but it was ruled out for a questionable offside. Despite the intense contest and debatable officiating decisions, Chelsea had to settle for a point in their opening Champions League game.
Emma Hayes, Chelsea's manager, is set to leave at the end of the season for the USA Women’s National Team job and is still pursuing her first Women’s Champions League title. The debatable decisions, including a contentious penalty and an arguable offside call, played a role in Chelsea's inability to secure a win in a hard-fought night in Madrid.
The exceptional performance of Chelsea's left-back, Niamh Charles, stood out, contributing with a brilliantly taken header for Chelsea’s first goal and displaying defensive prowess with a crucial block after a Real counter-attack. Despite the challenges, Chelsea looks to bounce back in the next fixture against Paris FC in their quest for Champions League success.
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