Real Madrid 1-1 Chelsea: Blues miss chance to confirm Champions League knockout place

Caroline Weir's strike was the first conceded by Chelsea in the Champions League this season

Chelsea were "asleep" in their draw at Real Madrid and performed poorly, according to manager Emma Hayes.

Victory would have confirmed Chelsea's place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals with two games to spare.

However, they fell behind to Caroline Weir's first-half strike after goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger's error.

Chelsea equalised in the second half when Guro Reiten's penalty hit the post, rebounded off Madrid keeper Misa and went in.

The Blues will reach the last eight if they win in Albania against bottom side Vllaznia, who are yet to earn a point or score a goal in Group A, on December 16.

Chelsea have 10 points from four games, five ahead of third-placed Madrid with a much better goal difference.

However they missed several chances against Real and Hayes held little back in her post-match press conference.

She said: "It was really disappointing from us in the first half, the first time in a while we have conceded such a poor goal.

"It was a poor team performance, in and out of possession we were asleep. I made two half-time changes, I could have taken anyone off.

"I thought it was a great response in second half, we could have won it - it was a point gained but a disappointing performance."

Unusual Berger mistake costs Chelsea

Chelsea entered this game with a perfect group stage record, including a 2-0 victory over Madrid at Kingsmeadow two weeks ago. Another win here would have seen them surpass their disappointing 2021 campaign where they failed to get out of the group.

While much of the focus on Chelsea goes to their star-studded front line, goalkeeper Berger has been just as crucial to their strong European form, not conceding a goal in the 2022-23 Champions League before tonight.

The German may have been unsettled by treatment she needed to her foot just minutes before the Madrid opener, but whatever the reason it was an uncharacteristic error as she attempted to pass the ball into midfield.

Instead she only found ex-Manchester City midfielder Weir, who gratefully accepted the gift and slotted into the empty net from 22 yards.

This was the second time Weir has found the net against a Women's Super League side after leaving City in the summer, having scored the only goal to eliminate her old side from the Champions League in qualifying.

Chelsea were sloppy in midfield and while they dominated possession, 61% in the first 70 minutes, often gave the ball away in good positions.

Hayes said after the game: "Technically I've never seen us give ball away so cheap, in good positions we were overhitting the ball, erratic in front of goal - we struggled in all positions."

Chelsea lost the ball just outside their own box with 10 minutes to go, leaving Carmona to break through - only for Berger to make a fine spreading save, a timely reminder of her importance and ability.

"She knows things happen, but it was a big save when we needed her to make it," Hayes said of her goalkeeper.

Sam Kerr missed three clear chances on a frustrating evening

Blues get lucky with bizarre penalty

Chelsea manager Hayes described the win over Madrid two weeks ago as a "cagey affair" - there was no such caution here as the Blues hit the woodwork three times, with the final one falling in their favour.

They should have led inside two minutes when an Erin Cuthbert header from a corner was palmed away by Misa and fell to Sam Kerr who thumped the ball off the crossbar when she should have scored.

It was an off night for Kerr, who spurned a similarly clear opening half an hour later. The Australian was put through one-on-one against Misa by Lauren James, but pulled her shot onto the outside of the right post.

Hayes said of Kerr: "I'd be more worried if we didn't create chances. It wasn't our best performance and we still got a point."

Instead it took an immense stroke of fortune for Chelsea to equalise, after Ivana Andres clumsily brought down Reiten in the area.

The Norwegian took the spot-kick which hit the keeper's right-hand post - only to deflect back off Misa's back and roll agonisingly over the line.

Kerr could have won it for Chelsea in the final minutes - and put her side into the quarter-finals - however she was denied one-on-one again by a superb save from Misa.

The 2021 finalists look likely to make amends this season for their group-stage elimination in 2021-22, but this must count as a wake-up call.