FC Barcelona Women escaped Stamford Bridge with a 1 1 draw on a strange and gripping night in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The football was tense enough, but a power outage inside the stadium briefly turned the match into something close to theatre.
Chelsea had begun with intensity, pressing high and disrupting Barcelona’s rhythm from the first whistle. Their determination paid off when Carpenter struck with a precise finish after a moment of hesitation in the Barcelona defence. The hosts looked settled and confident until the stadium descended into confusion. With the score level at 1 1 late in the first half, the broadcast feed for viewers at home suddenly dropped. Screens in the press box shut down. Referee Tess Olofsson lost connection with her earpiece and paused the match to explain the situation to both managers. Reports from inside Stamford Bridge indicated that a power failure in west London was responsible. After a short stoppage, play resumed in the thirty seventh minute.
Barcelona reacted quickly once the lights and communication returned. Ewa Pajor pounced inside the area to score the equaliser, restoring balance to a contest that was already becoming a tactical battle. The second half continued with Chelsea pushing forward in quick transitions while Barcelona attempted to settle through longer spells of possession. Cata Coll produced several crucial saves to deny Chelsea a second goal. At the other end, Chelsea’s defensive organisation kept Aitana Bonmatí and Graham Hansen quiet, and even a second finish from Pajor was ruled out for offside.
The draw preserves Barcelona’s unbeaten run and keeps them joint top of the group with Lyon. Chelsea sit sixth on eight points and will feel they let a significant chance slip.
