Chelsea 2-1 Real Madrid: Guro Reiten penalty and Mylene Chavas own goal seal Blues’ Champions League progression

Chelsea sealed their place in the knockout stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge.

The visitors arrived in West London knowing that they were already out of contention in Group D, but put in a resolute performance that threatened for long periods to frustrate Emma Hayes side.

However, a penalty given away by Hayley Raso on Niamh Charles in the second half allowed Guro Reiten to open the scoring from the spot.

Real Madrid equalised when Hannah Hampton parried a fiery Raso effort to the feet of the waiting Athenea del Castillo, but parity didn’t last long, with Erin Cuthbert’s fizzed cross being parried into her own net by Real goalkeeper Mylene Chavas to restore Chelsea’s lead.

The hosts saw out the win, and the three points means that they are guaranteed to progress from Group D, along with either Paris FC or Hacken, who trail Chelsea by four and three points respectively going into the final round of matches.

Real Madrid mixed things up for this game and made things difficult for Chelsea, playing with two banks of four and opting against the usual plan of attacking wide players. Instead, it was FIFA The Best nominee Linda Caicedo who was given a free role to hit the Blues on the break, and she went close on a couple of occasions before being forced off through an ankle injury.

Her replacement was a like-for-like, with Athenea del Castillo causing a similar threat in that pocket of space, and scoring the equaliser for Real.

Only when they went behind for a second time did Real Madrid change their approach, and it almost worked against one of the favourites for this competition.

But credit must go to Hayes for setting her team up with overlapping full-backs and wingers on both flanks to try and counter-act Real’s defensive shape. And it was from those wide areas that all of the Blues’ best moves came, including the attack that earned them the penalty for the first goal.

There were a number of decent showings from Chelsea, with the centre-back partnership of Kadeisha Buchanan and Jess Carter particularly solid. But it was Guro Reiten on Chelsea’s left wing that was the constant source of threat to Real Madrid throughout the evening. She should have had at least one assist, were it not for a poor finish from Erin Cuthbert, but did get a goal for herself, converting clinically from the spot.

Chelsea: Hampton 6, Lawrence 8, Buchanan 8, Carter 7, Charles 7, Leupolz 7, Cuthbert 8, Reiten 8, Kirby 7, Kaneryd 6, Fishel 6. Subs: James 7, Nüsken 6, Beever-Jones 6.

Real Madrid: Chavas 3, Robles 6, Andres 7, Kathellen 7, Svava 7, Raso 6, Abelleira 7, Zornoza 7, Oroz 7, Caicedo 8, Moller 7. Subs: Athenea 8, Oloffsson 6, Feller 7, Rodriguez 6, Hernandez 6.

Raso slides in on Charles in the box and catches her late. It’s a clear penalty, and Reiten will take it.

64’ – GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 REAL MADRID (REITEN)

Reiten sends the keeper the wrong way and tucks her penalty home, giving Chelsea the lead that their efforts have probably deserved. Can they kick on and wrap up this win now?

70’ – GOAL! CHELSEA 1-1 REAL MADRID (ATHENEA)

Real Madrid burst forward, and a brilliant cross-field ball sends Raso bursting into the box. She shoots from a wide angle and Hampton’s save drops straight to Athenea del Castillo, who tucks home.

72’ – GOAL! CHELSEA 2-1 REAL MADRID (OG: CHAVAS)

Chelsea are back in front and it’s a big error from the keeper, who parries a deflected Cuthbert cross straight into her own net. Advantage Chelsea.