Real Madrid 1-2 Chelsea: Catarina Macario scores twice from spot as Blues top Group B in UEFA Women’s Champions League

Catarina Macario came off the bench to score twice from the penalty spot as Chelsea came from behind to beat Real Madrid and seal top spot in Group B of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Both teams had already qualified for the knockout stages prior to kick-off, with only their order in Group B to be determined on the night, and Chelsea’s first-half display was notable for its lack of intensity.

Real took the lead early when Hannah Hampton couldn’t keep out the excellent Caroline Weir’s shot, and Los Blancos had the better of a first half that saw a scattering of chances at each end.

But half-time substitute Macario transformed the game as the English visitors started the second half with a markedly increased tempo.

The USA international had a goal ruled out for offside just moments after the restart, and had scored twice from the spot just 11 minutes into her time on the field, twice shooting high to the keeper’s left with Olga Carmona giving away both spot kicks.

Real Madrid threw players forward in an increasingly frenzied second half as they went in search of the preferred qualifying spot in Group B, but Chelsea held firm to continue their impressive run in the competition and qualify with six wins from six.

For much of the game it was Real Madrid’s mercurial midfielder Weir who stood out as the most influential player on the pitch, as the Scottish star put in a world-class display.

But the defining performance of the night came from the half-time substitute Macario, who blew Real away in a remarkable and dominant spell at the start of the second half.

She had a goal disallowed, won the first penalty and was ruthless from the spot on both occasions to earn Chelsea their 2-1 win.

Real Madrid: Misa 8; García 8, Lakrar 7, Mendez 7, Carmona 5; Angeldahl 7, Toletti 6, Leupolz 6; Weir 9, Bruun 6, Caicedo 7. Subs: Redondo 7, Feller 8, Athenea 7.

Chelsea: Hampton 6; Bronze 7, Bjorn 6, Bright 6, Charles 7; Nusken 6, Cuthbert 7; Kaptein 7, Reiten 6, Beever-Jones 6; Ramirez 7. Subs: Hamano 7, Macario 9, Baltimore 8, Lawrence 8.

Neither of these clubs have ever won the UEFA Women’s Champions League, but both will have hopes of changing that this season. Progress to the knockout stages was always likely to be a formality in a group containing Twente and Celtic, but the new year will see the competition enter its seriously competitive knockout phase.

The quality of the teams awaiting Chelsea and Real in the knockouts is extremely high: reigning champions Barcelona and Bompastor’s former club Lyon will be joined by German clubs Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich, with WSL giants Arsenal and Manchester City completing an exceptionally strong set of eight teams who will battle it out for Europe’s biggest honour.

8’ – GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-0 CHELSEA (WEIR) Real Madrid have an early lead and Hannah Hampton won’t want to see this again. A searing break sees Weir and Carmona put Caicedo in a dangerous position in the box. She lays it back for Weir to shoot, and Hampton looks to claw it over the bar but succeeds only in tipping it on to the post and in to the back of the net. The build-up was superb but it’s a frustrating way for Chelsea to concede.

45’ – CHANGE AT THE BREAK Maya Ramirez worked exceptionally hard in the first half and has been replaced at the break by Catarina Macario.

46’ – FAST START FROM CHELSEA The tempo is noticeably higher from Chelsea right at the start of the second half and they look to have equalised early on, with Macario slipped in to finish beyond the keeper, but she had slightly mistimed her run and was offside.

49’ – PENALTY! Macario jinks into the box and Carmona sticks a leg out to bring down the half-time substitute. The Real Madrid captain is furious about the decision, but it looks like a foul on the replay and Chelsea have the chance to level from the spot.

52’ – GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-1 CHELSEA (MACARIO) Catarina Macario has been incredible in her first few minutes on the pitch and she hammers home her penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way. 1-1. Game on.

54’ – PENALTY! It’s another penalty for Chelsea! Real Madrid needlessly give the ball away and Chelsea get the ball into the box, where it takes a deflection to strike Carmona on the arm. It’s incredibly unlucky, but it is a handball and the penalty is given.

57’ – GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-2 CHELSEA (MACARIO) It’s a carbon copy from Macario, who again goes high to the keeper’s left to score her second goal of the game having only been on the field for ten minutes. 2-1 Chelsea and they’re back on top in Group B.

Chelsea have only lost two Champions League games since the start of the 2022/23 season – both in semi-finals against Barcelona, with Barca winning the two-legged tie, and then the final, on each occasion.

The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on February 7, with the two-legged ties set to be played on March 18/19 and 26/27.