A late power outage and missed opportunities cost Chelsea Women a historic win against Barcelona Women in the UWCL, settling for a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge despite an electric performance.
Blues Rue Missed Opportunities in Thrilling 1-1 Draw Against Barcelona
In a captivating UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) clash at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea Women secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against perennial rivals Barcelona Women, but the prevailing emotion was one of frustration as the Blues felt they deserved all three points.
The result marks a strong statement for Chelsea, ending their recent winless run against the Spanish giants. However, the game’s momentum was dramatically interrupted, and Chelsea’s failure to be clinical in front of goal ultimately denied them a famous victory.
Disruption Strikes as Power Outage Halts Play
The first half was marred by an unusual and lengthy suspension when a power outage swept through Stamford Bridge, cutting all television feeds and temporarily disabling the VAR system.
Chelsea had started the match brightly, taking the lead through a blistering counter-attack finished by Ellie Carpenter. Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor quickly equalised from a corner, but the hosts remained in command. According to reports, the 10-minute stoppage appeared to disrupt Chelsea’s rhythm, with the momentum they had built evaporating after the lights came back on.
Bompastor’s Side Dominate But Fail to Convert
Chelsea’s frustration was compounded by several near-misses. Wieke Kaptein was denied by the goalkeeper and the post, and substitute Catarina Macario saw a goal ruled out for a marginal offside with her very first touch. Later, Macario set up Carpenter for a glorious opportunity to seal a brace and the win, but the Australian dragged her shot wide from close range.
Speaking after the match, Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor was “happy but frustrated,” stating, “We were the better team tonight, we had a really good performance and created a lot of opportunities.” She emphasized the need for her side to become more clinical—a key lesson from a match they largely controlled.
The 1-1 result sees Barcelona move to the top of the UWCL group on goal difference, leaving Chelsea just outside the automatic quarter-final qualification spots with two crucial games remaining. The performance, however, gives the Blues a huge platform to build on for the rest of their European campaign.
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