Chelsea get crucial away goal against Real in first leg
With a dominant start and a milestone goal by Christian Pulisic, Chelsea showed its strength against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.
Chelsea took control early in Tuesday’s first leg to hold the Spanish powerhouse to a 1-1 away draw, with Pulisic becoming the first US international to score in the tournament’s last four. He also surpassed DaMarcus Beasley to become the top American scorer in Champions League history with five goals.
A red-hot Karim Benzema equalised for a lacklustre Madrid squad on a rainy night at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium in the first Champions League match since the controversial Super League folded last week amid widespread criticism.
The largely closed breakaway competition would have had Real Madrid as one of its leaders, and Chelsea also was among its founding members before dropping the idea along with the other English clubs. Madrid didn’t officially back out of the Super League but had downplayed the possibility of retaliation by UEFA in its Champions League matches. There were no refereeing controversies in Tuesday’s match.
The second leg is on May 5 in London. Manchester City host Paris Saint-Germain in the other semi-final.
Chelsea got off to a fast start and had chances to add to their lead after Pulisic opened the scoring with a nice finish in the 14th minute off a high pass by Antonio Rudiger inside the area. Pulisic calmly got past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois before hitting the net past the Madrid defenders trying to block his shot at the goal line.
“It was a great finish, great composure,” Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta said of the 22-year-old Pulisic, who has been thriving after being marred by injuries early in the season. “He’s an amazing player, he’s a young player, he’s growing and improving. I’m very pleased with his goal because he’s an important player for the team.”
Pulisic is the second US international to play in a Champions League semi-final after Beasley for PSV Eindhoven in a first-leg game against AC Milan in 2005.
Madrid evened the match on Benzema’s volley from inside the area in the 29th, and there were few significant chances either way during the rest of the game.