Real Madrid 2-2 Chelsea: Emma Hayes’ side denied fairytale start to coach’s last Champions League run as visitors are frustrated by Olga Carmona’s late penalty and a last-gasp winner is controversially chalked off

• World Cup winner Olga Carmona opened the scoring for the home side 
• Chelsea battled back from behind to claim the lead before second-half penalty  
• Pochettino acted like he was denied entry to a nightclub – It’s All Kicking Off 

Emma Hayes had said before kick-off that finishing her Chelsea career by winning the Champions League would be a fairytale ending to her 11-year stint with the club.

But the manager also said that she did not grow up liking fairytales. Chelsea should have beaten Real Madrid and when Sam Kerr put them ahead in the 74th minute, it looked for all the world as if they would.

But referee Frida Klarlund’s decision to award Real Madrid a penalty five minutes, despite Athena Del Castillo being outside the box when she was tripped by Jessie Fleming, allowed Olga Carmona the chance to level from the spot – and she did so emphatically.

Chelsea then looked to have scored a dramatic winner in the dying seconds when Niamh Charles met Millie Bright’s cross to finish at the back-post. But her strike was ruled out for offside against Kerr, who was deemed to be interfering with play.

With VAR not in use until the knockout stage of the competition, there was no possibility of overturning either decision.

Chelsea were frustrated in their first group stage Champions League match vs Real Madrid

After breaking English hearts in the World Cup final, Olga Carmona was the hero of the hour against the WSL winners

The defender levelled the scoreline deep into the second-half with a bulleted penalty

MATCH FACTS 

Real Madrid: Rodriguez, Hernandez, Andres, Feitoza, Carmona, Abelleira (Olofsson), Toletti, Del Castillo, Zornoza (Oroz), Caicedo (Raso), Bruun (Feller)

Subs not used: Chavaz, Tellez, Galvez, Robles, Svava, Lopez, Moller, Rodriguez

Goals: Carmona (10′, 79′)

Booked: Toletti, Feitoza

Manager: Alberto Toril

Chelsea: Berger, Lawrence, Bright, Carter, Charles, Musken, Cuthbert, Kaneryd, Kirby (James), Fleming, Kerr

Subs not used: Musovic, Hampton, Perisset, Buchanan, Nouwen, Mjelde, Ingle, Cankovic, Fishel, Beever-Jones

Goals: Charles (41′), Kerr (74′)

Booked:

Manager: Emma Hayes 

Chelsea can take comfort in the fact that they know they played well enough to take all three points here – and this draw could still prove valuable in the long run.

The Blues are the only English team in the group stage after Arsenal and Manchester United were knocked out during qualifying and this is Hayes’ last chance to win the one trophy that she has failed to lift as Chelsea boss.

But they were slow out of the blocks here and went behind in the 10th minute. Carmona is a hero in these parts after scoring Spain’s winning goal in the World Cup final against England but Bright is no doubt sick of seeing the full back celebrating. 

She had given Real the lead in the 10th minute when her long range strike deflected off Bright to wrong-foot Ann-Katrin Berger.

But Charles, who had another impressive performance, brought Chelsea level just before half-time with a smart header at the back-post.

Kerr nearly gave Chelsea the lead but was thwarted by Real goalkeeper Misa, who made a fine save at her near post. But the forward would not be denied again as she met Charles’ cross to tap-in from close range.

That should have been the winner but Real were gifted a route back into the game when Fleming lunged in to bring down Athena. 

The foul took place outside the box but the referee pointed to the spot and Carmona fired into the top right corner.

There was more controversy to come before the final whistle when Charles thought she had scored a winner in the dying seconds, but her strike was ruled out with Kerr deemed to have been interfering with play in an offside position.

Carmona was first off the mark with a 10th-minute strike – which for a long spell was Madrid’s sole shot on target

The visitors had the lion’s share of the chances but came up against fierce home resistance

Eventually Chelsea forced a way through thanks to Niamh Charles’ header before the break

Sam Kerr went on to pull the side ahead with the effort Emma Hayes’ thought might win the tie

But a late penalty call after Jessie Flemming brought down Athenea Del Castillo handed momentum back to the hosts

Hayes’ players were very unlucky to miss out on a decider in the final moments of added time

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

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