Chelsea open Champions League campaign with victory over Real Madrid

Posted Wednesday, October 09, 2024 by PA

Chelsea opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 win against Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge.

Goals from Sjoeke Nusken and Guro Reiten put the Blues 2-0 up, only for Alba Redondo to pull a goal back for the visitors before the break.

Mayra Ramirez, who played for Spanish side Levante between 2022 and 2024, scored Chelsea’s third and although Linda Caicedo came off the bench to make it 3-2 late on, Madrid slipped to a first defeat of the season.

Sonia Bompastor’s side went into the game on a high following a 7-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Women’s Super League.

Chelsea penned Real Madrid in their own half from the off, throwing numbers forward and winning a corner from which they managed to take the lead after two minutes.

After a Madrid defender nodded away Reiten’s initial delivery, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd drove down the right and delivered a cross which was nodded in by Nusken.

Full-back Sandy Baltimore and Reiten dominated the left-hand side and they combined to work the ball into the area where they won a penalty.

Lucy Bronze attempted to control a bouncing ball but a clumsy clearance from a Madrid defender caught the right-back instead of the ball and referee Ivana Martincic pointed to the spot.

It was Reiten who stepped up, and the Norwegian winger side-footed her effort into the bottom corner.

The Spanish side were far from out of the match, though, and they pounced on some poor defending to pull a goal back.

The ball was played into the box and after Baltimore failed to clear her lines, the loose ball fell to Redondo who smashed her close-range effort through the legs of Zecira Musovic.

The Blues refused to sit back and protect their lead and came out for the second half intent to grab a third.

It arrived in the 53rd minute when Lauren James drifted away from her central position to the right and whipped in a cross for Ramirez to nod her effort over the head of Misa and into the net.

Nusken was central to Chelsea’s success on the night. The versatile German was positioned in the heart of midfield and her quality touch, weight of pass and instinct to win the ball high up the field explained why the hosts enjoyed the majority of possession.

Caicedo came off the bench to score Real Madrid’s second and set up a nervy finish, but Chelsea held on for the victory after four added minutes.