Pernille Harder netted an injury time equaliser as Chelsea came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with VfL Wolfsburg in their opening match of the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage at Kingsmeadow this evening.
Emma Hayes’ side were their own worst enemy as they gift wrapped three goals for their opponents with three uncharacteristic errors but they managed to haul themselves back into the game and they grabbed an unlikely point at the death thanks to Harder’s close range strike.
It was all going to plan for Chelsea when Sam Kerr expertly chipped in the opening goal after just 12 minutes but VfL Wolfsburg were soon level when a defensive mix up allowed Tabea Waßmuth to nip in and tap the ball into an empty net.
The visitors turned the game completely on it’s head just after the half-hour, although the goal was again down to a Chelsea mistake. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger tried to play a pass that was never on and Jill Roord gained possession and produced a composed finish into the far corner.
Things went from bad to worse for The Blues three minutes into the second half when Jess Carter and Berger got in a muddle and Waßmuth again profited as she calmly slotted her side 3-1 up.
Chelsea needed a response and when VfL Wolfsburg failed to clear the danger in the box, Beth England thumped the ball home to reduce the arrears for her side.
With the clock ticking down, Chelsea pushed forward for a third goal and Erin Cuthbert was inches away from finding the back of the net with a rasping drive before Harder struck the equaliser from close range at the death.
Chelsea now look forward to a Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture against Leicester City at Kingsmeadow on Sunday before travelling to Turin to face Juventus in their second UEFA Champions League group match next Wednesday.
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