Real Madrid and Chelsea played out a close 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.
The visitors made a promising start to the game, and should have taken the lead in the 9th minute. Christian Pulisic nodded across goal for Timo Werner, but the striker put his close-range effort straight at Thibaut Courtois when he really should have scored.
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Five minutes later, the Blues were in front. Antonio Rudiger’s floated through ball found Pulisic, who expertly rounded Courtois and smashed into the back of the net.
Real Madrid were struggling to get a grip on the game, rarely troubling the Chelsea backline. Although, they came close to an equaliser out of nowhere when Karim Benzema saw his left-footed strike graze the post.
And the Frenchman was on hand to bag the equaliser against the run of play with a goal made in Brazil. Marcelo’s floated cross found the head of Casemiro, whose header was flicked on by Eder Militao towards Benzema. The striker controlled and slammed a volley into the roof of the net.
The rain continued to lash down in the second half, but the goalmouth action dried up. Zinedine Zidane brought on former Chelsea man Eden Hazard to try to create something, but the Belgian was unable to make his mark on the game.
Neither side managed to find the next goal, ensuring the game ended 1-1.
Thomas Tuchel will have been the happier of the two managers at the final whistle. His side go into the second leg knowing that a 0-0 draw will be enough to see them through to the final. Real Madrid will have to score at least once to progress.
© ControlTV 2021.
