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Chelsea ends three consecutive defeats to rivals barcelona in the Women’s Champions League with a 1–1 draw, but were denied a second-half winner due to offside.
Sonia BompastorThe team took the lead through Ally Carpenter after 14 minutes at Stamford Bridge, but Eva Pajor equalized shortly after before the match was stopped due to technical difficulties.
When play resumed, the second half remained a tense affair until a dramatic finale as Chelsea substitute Caterina Macario took her first touch, but was denied an offside flag before Carpenter pulled over a gilt-edged chance in the 83rd minute.
This meant the hosts would have to be content with a point against a team they have now beaten only once in eight meetings.
After four matches Chelsea are sixth in the league stage and outside the top four that would earn automatic qualification for the quarter-finals.
Last season’s painful 4-1 defeats at each semi-final stage are still fresh in Chelsea’s memory and Bompastor changed his pack after Sunday’s disappointing 1-1 draw at Liverpool, but Lauren James was again on the bench alongside captain Millie Bright.
Chelsea had failed to take the lead in each of their previous three meetings with Barcelona, but Carpenter’s superb 16th-minute finish corrected that tally.
After an even start, Carpenter exchanged passes with the bright Aggie Beaver-Jones and the former Lyon full-back advanced before firing the ball into the roof of the net.
It was a sensational attack, but Barcelona responded strongly and equalized after eight minutes.
Shortly after Pajor was ruled out by an offside flag, the Poland international confidently headed home Claudia Pina’s corner to make it 1-1 after 24 minutes.
The hosts responded strongly, with Vik Kapteyn denied by Kate Cole, before the Chelsea forward went even closer when his effort hit the inside of a post and bounced to safety.
It was the last moment of note before a bizarre stoppage occurred after the TV screens inside Stamford Bridge went off and referee Tess Olofsson later experienced her own technical difficulties.
Play eventually restarted but despite a nine-minute stoppage in the first half, the game remained tied at the break.
A slow start to the second half wasn’t helped when Chelsea’s stand-in captain Erin Cuthbert needed treatment after a collision with three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonamati, who put in a disappointing performance.
Barcelona had by now taken the lead, although chances were limited and the hosts’ threat on the break was exposed after 63 minutes when Carpenter again bombed forward and this time headed his effort wide.
Bompastor turned to his bench with 18 minutes remaining and it was almost immediately rewarded when Macario headed Cuthbert’s wonderful free-kick wide of goal.
Chelsea’s celebrations were quickly cut short as a quick VAR check showed that Macario had fallen marginally behind.
Macario was involved again in the 81st minute when he passed the ball to Carpenter, but the right-back headed wide from seven yards.