Chelsea were left to rue a missed chance after a 1-1 draw with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, despite arguably their best display of the season.
Chelsea dominated large spells, especially in the first half, and took the lead when Ellie Carpenter finished sweetly. The advantage lasted only eight minutes, though, after Chelsea failed to clear a corner and Ewa Pajor reacted quickest to convert from the loose ball.
Late in the game Carpenter should have snatched all three points but dragged a close-range attempt wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. Substitute Catarina Macario thought she had won it when her strike hit the net, but the goal was chalked off for a marginal offside. When the final whistle blew, Chelsea slipped to sixth in the group standings, two points behind Barcelona at the top.
Manager Sonia Bompastor praised the performance but was left frustrated by the result. She highlighted the chances created and the need for greater clinical edge in crucial Champions League ties, saying she was pleased with the work rate and overall display but disappointed not to have converted that into a win.
Former Chelsea defender Anita Asante described it as 'an opportunity missed' an
