awaits

UWCL: Claudia Pina guides Barcelona to win over Chelsea however Stamford Bridge awaits

FC Barcelona took a serious step towards one other UEFA Girls’s Champions League last with a commanding 4–1 victory over Chelsea. The motion unfolded in entrance of a document crowd of 5,750 followers on the Johan Cruyff Stadium.

Nevertheless, the second leg is but to return, giving Chelsea the prospect to push for the trophy that has evaded them.

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Ewa Pajor, Clàudia Pina and Irene Paredes had been chargeable for Barcelona’s 4 targets, whereas Sandy Baltimore earned one again for Chelsea.

Beginning XIsBarcelona

Cata; Ona, Mapi, Irene, Brugts, Alexia, Patri, Aitana, Graham, Pajor, Salma.

Chelsea

Hampton; Bronze, Björn, Brilliant, Baltimore, Walsh, Cuthbert, Kaneryd, Kaptein, Beever-Jones, Mayra.

Pina and Alexia convey Barça’s glory

Barcelona missed an early golden alternative when Alexia Putellas noticed her penalty saved by Hannah Hampton following a Nathalie Björn handball.

“I couldn’t let that frustration have an effect on me for 90 minutes,” the two-time Ballon d’Or winner stated, and he or she proved it with a show filled with resilience and management.

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The breakthrough arrived on the half-hour mark. Salma Paralluelo gained a one-on-one duel in opposition to former Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze, and Alexia, choosing up the unfastened ball, turned in midfield to string an ideal cross between Baltimore and Millie Brilliant. Pajor sprinted onto it and completed coolly at Hampton’s far submit to make it 1–0. And that’s that workforce wanted a striker just like the Polish worldwide.

Chelsea’s greatest likelihood got here simply earlier than half-time with a well-taken free-kick by Aggie Beever-Jones, however Cata Coll reacted brilliantly to push the shot extensive and protect the lead. Because the Blues couldn’t use offensive transitions and provides the ball to Mayra Ramirez, these free-kicks had been Chelsea’s predominant hope of a breakthrough.

Pina, the present prime scorer within the UWCL, started the sport on the bench, however her entrance modified all the things. Inside minutes, she doubled the lead along with her eighth purpose of the match. The Catalan striker started her run from deep inside her personal half and, with Bronze chasing behind, slotted previous Hampton.

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Chelsea responded by Baltimore, who completed an ideal cross after a powerful dribbling sequence from Catarina Macario down the fitting. The American switched the play to the far submit, the place Baltimore was left unmarked to chop the deficit and inject stress into the sport.

Ten decisive Pina minutes

Barcelona reacted instantly. Paredes made it 3-1 with a strong header from a nook, simply moments after Chelsea supervisor Sonia Bompastor made the choice to substitute Björn for Naomi Girma — a uncommon change proper earlier than a set piece. Bompastor later insisted the substitution had no affect on the defensive setup.

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Pina then sealed the scoreline along with her ninth UWCL purpose, ending off a pleasant backheel help from Alexia. The chemistry between the 2 felt nearly maternal — a bond constructed on mutual understanding and class.

Barça head coach Pere Romeu praised his facet’s tactical execution: “In Europe, we take pleasure in these sorts of matches. When opponents step up and go away area, we will actually present our strengths.”

In the meantime, mirrored on a troublesome night time: “It’s important to be courageous on the ball in opposition to Barcelona. We had been too reactive, not proactive sufficient.”

It was not a great recreation for Chelsea, nor for the referees, however the second leg is but to be performed, and Stamford Bridge awaits to host a possible Blues comeback. If the London facet is succesful to attain within the first minutes, with the assistance of the gang, Lisbon’s flight ticket shall be determined in a really lengthy match. Subsequent Sunday, on April twenty seventh, .

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