Chelsea overcame a testing start to edge Wolfsburg 2-1 in their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final ‘home’ leg played in Budapest.
Chelsea just managed to keep Wolfsburg out in the first 20 minutes, as Ewa Pajor met a cross and fired against the post and Alexandra Popp had a goal disallowed for using her hand, while Ann-Katrin Berger made a double save to deny Fridolina Rolfö, followed by Jonna Andersson’s clearance off the line from Pajor.
Five minutes into the second-half and Pajor was denied by the woodwork again, heading against the crossbar from Svenja Huth’s cross.
However, it was Chelsea who opened the scoring as Fran Kirby played in Sam Kerr, who took the ball wide of keeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek before firing into the roof of the net.
Wolfsburg then presented Kirby with possession, who together with Kerr set up Pauline Harder to double the lead.
But the German side got a goal back in their ‘away’ leg when Magda Eriksson took down Huth in the box and Dominique Janssen hit the penalty into the top corner.
Chelsea had to survive some late scares, with Berger saving from Rebecka Blomqvist then landing badly when clashing with Popp.
But the Blues take a 2-1 lead into the second leg next Wednesday, 31 March, with a lunchtime kick off.
