Chelsea’s quest for their first Women’s Champions League title began on shaky ground after being held to a 1-1 draw by Twente in Enschede. Despite dominating possession, Chelsea were forced to rely on a late penalty from Sandy Baltimore to avoid a shock opening defeat.
Twente’s captain Danique van Ginkel opened the scoring midway through the game after capitalising on Chelsea’s defensive lapse. The Dutch side displayed maturity and tactical discipline, frustrating the Women’s Super League leaders and limiting them to few clear chances. Goalkeeper Diede Lemey was pivotal for the hosts, producing several key saves to deny Chelsea’s attacking threats.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor, who rotated heavily from the team that drew with Manchester United, expressed disappointment at her side’s lack of sharpness in attack. She noted that while the team performed well defensively, their decision-making and intensity in the final third were lacking. “We had multiple situations in the box and 18 crosses, but we were first to the ball only six times. This is not enough in the Champions League,” she said after the game.
The Blues’ equaliser came after Guro Reiten was stepped on inside the box by Lynn Groenewegen, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Baltimore calmly converted to make it 1-1. Chelsea had earlier appeals turned down when Erin Cuthbert was caught by a high boot, adding to their frustration on a night where precision deserted them.
For Twente, the result reflected significant progress since their heavy defeat to Chelsea last season. Van Ginkel praised her team’s defensive discipline and teamwork, saying they had “made big steps” and executed their plan well.
Chelsea will now look to bounce back when they face Paris FC and St Pölten before meeting Barcelona, Roma and Wolfsburg in the new league-format stage. Bompastor emphasised that mentality would be key going forward, urging her players to show greater intensity and focus as they continue their pursuit of the elusive European crown.
