Against Chelsea, runners-up in Europe two years ago and champions of the Women’s Super League last season, Real Madrid added a draw this Thursday (1-1) that allows them to remain in the Champions League. The Whites, who took the lead in the first half through a Caroline Weir goal after a mistake by the Blue keeper, were up against one of the top favorites to win the tournament, a side that had won every game of their competition and have done so to date had not conceded a single goal in the evening. A penalty from Ivana Andrés, who clumsily ran over Guro Reit in the second half as she attempted to clear the ball, gave London the equalizer.
The result allows Alberto Toril’s men (five points) to be confident of progressing to the quarter-finals, with the game against PSG (seven points) on December 16 in Paris marked in red on the calendar. Anything that isn’t a win in the French capital will make it extremely difficult for them to progress to the next stage, as the Parisians visit London on the last day of the game while Chelsea (10 points) are already qualified.
It took the current leaders of the English league just two minutes to issue the first warning. Samantha Kerr, the phenomenal Australian striker, smashed the ball against the post after two good clearances from Real Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez from a corner kick. The advanced pressure from both the Blues and Madridistas prevented the game from flowing in the first leg. In Madrid, only Olga Carmona, who started the duel at left-back and ended as a winger, and Athenea del Castillo, unable to play the ball, managed to leave some flashes with several running dribbles frustrated by the English defence.
In the middle of that suffocating game, Claudia Zornoza made a mistake on a pass and passed the ball in her own half to Lauren James, who controlled, advancing with the ball close to foot, pinning the center-backs and filtering a final delivery that Kerr was alone with Concierge stays. In the one-on-one, as in the second minute, the Australian striker sent the ball to the post, this time to the right of Misa’s goal. The pace of the pressure made the Chelsea goalkeeper fail even more. Ann-Katrin Berger, who had come out of her goal to take the ball, tried to connect with midfield but her pass went straight to Caroline Weir. The Scottish midfielder from Madrid was able to control without the slightest resistance, raising her head and placing the gift in the back of the goal.
The goal revived Madrid, who began winning more tackles and more second games, but Chelsea improved in the second half with Francesca Kirby’s entry. The skilled Englishwoman replaced Jessie Fleming, although the Blues found no chances to score until Ivana Andrés rudely collided with Reiten in the Madrid penalty area in the 59th minute. The maximum penalty, launched by Reiten himself, hit the post and then hit Misa’s back to change direction and slide into goal.
With a more open game and less leg energy to keep up the pressure, the two teams found spaces to injure their opponents. On the edge of the end, in one of those games, Olga Carmona dribbled past Jessica Carter and went one on one against Berger, but the German goalkeeper closed the space and blocked her shot with a big slap in the face. Just minutes later it was Misa who stole Kerr’s goal in another one-on-one and secured Madrid a draw that still has them dreaming of progressing through the Champions League group stage. Everything now runs through Paris.
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