Chelsea women player ratings vs Real Madrid: Niamh Charles unplayable as Sam Kerr scores again - but Blues are robbed by wretched refereeing in the Champions League
Spain's Women's World Cup hero Olga Carmona scored twice as the English champions were baffled by two huge refereeing decisions in their UWCL opener
Chelsea were left furious on Wednesday night as a shocking penalty decision and a baffling offside flag cost the Blues a win in their Women's Champions League group stage opener away at Real Madrid. A point in the Spanish capital was by no means a poor result but the referee failed to see that Jessie Fleming's challenge on Athenea del Castillo was clearly outside the box before she awarded Las Blancas a spot-kick that allowed them to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw — and that was before Niamh Charles had a goal ruled controversially ruled out with essentially the final kick of the game.
Real Madrid had taken the lead with only 10 minutes on the clock when a poor clearance out from the back from Chelsea, a sloppy touch in midfield and a lack of pressing all culminated in Olga Carmona, Spain's World Cup final hero, firing a shot at goal that took a heavy deflection off Blues skipper Millie Bright to leave goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger with no chance.
It took them time but Chelsea did grow into the game, with Sam Kerr denied brilliantly by Misa Rodriguez before a completely unmarked Charles headed in Ashley Lawrence's cross at the back post to level things up before half-time. Kerr would again be thwarted by Misa, who pulled out some great stops on the night, but she would beat the Spaniard eventually when she headed in Charles' cross to give the visitors the lead with just over 15 minutes to play.
It wasn't enough to give Chelsea the win, though, as Carmona netted from the spot just five minutes later when Fleming was adjudged to have tripped Athenea in the box. There was still time
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