A gripping encounter at Stamford Bridge ended with honors even as Chelsea and Barcelona played out a 1-1 draw in the Women’s Champions League. While the result leaves both sides unbeaten in the group stage, the home side will rue several late opportunities that could have secured a landmark victory.
The match began with Barcelona controlling possession, but it was Chelsea who struck first against the run of play. Ellie Carpenter collected the ball just inside the Barcelona half, drove forward unchallenged, and unleashed a powerful strike into the net. The goal marked the first time Chelsea had taken a lead at home against the Spanish champions in four attempts.
Barcelona responded before halftime, capitalizing on a corner as the ball fell to Ewa Pajor, who calmly finished to level the score. The Polish forward’s strike was her 36th in the competition.
The second half saw both teams push for a winner. Chelsea thought they had found it when substitute Catarina Macario headed home shortly after entering the fray, but the effort was ruled offside by the narrowest of margins. Carpenter later missed a golden chance from close range, firing wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The match was briefly interrupted due to a broadcast failure, leading to a lengthy stoppage before play resumed.
In post-match comments, Chelsea’s manager expressed pride in the team’s performance but acknowledged frustration at not converting their chances. “We showed great character and created enough to win. We have to be more clinical in these big moments,” she said.
The Barcelona coach acknowledged Chelsea’s intensity, noting, “They pressed us well and were very organized. It was a competitive match between two strong sides.”
With the draw, Barcelona stays top of the group on 10 points, while Chelsea sits sixth with eight points, though both teams have a game in hand. Two rounds of fixtures remain as the race for the knockout stages intensifies.