Dubai Telegraph - Pina strikes twice as Barca rout Chelsea in Champions League semi

The Catalans, targeting a third successive triumph in the competition, controlled the game as Sonia Bompastor's visitors dug in to try and make it back to Stamford Bridge with hope of turning the tie around.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas missed a first-half penalty for Barca before Ewa Pajor fired Pere Romeu's team in front and substitute Pina added a second.

Sandy Baltimore drilled home after 74 minutes to cut Barca's lead but Irene Paredes headed home from a corner to restore the two-goal gap and Pina wrapped up an emphatic victory in the 90th minute.

Barcelona may not be quite at the level that saw them win the quadruple last season under Jonatan Giraldez but are still in contention to repeat the feat this season, while the Blues were also hoping to achieve the same.

These sides were paired for the third consecutive year in the semi-finals, with the Catalans emerging on top on both prior occasions.

Barcelona also thrashed Chelsea 4-0 in the 2021 final, with the west London club desperate to turn the tide against the three-time winners.

However that is far easier said than done and Barcelona took control quickly in front of a record 5,750 crowd at the Johan Cruyff stadium, with Caroline Graham Hansen's deflected effort drifting just wide.

Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton saved an Irene Paredes header which brushed Nathalie Bjorn's arm on the way through and, after a VAR review, Barca were awarded a penalty.

Putellas struck it poorly, soft and down the middle, and Hampton was able to keep it out.

Chelsea probed occasionally on the counter but Barcelona were finding their rhythm and took the lead after 35 minutes through Pajor.

Putellas made amends for her penalty miss by threading through the Polish striker, who finished clinically into the bottom left corner.

Aggie Beever-Jones tested Barcelona goalkeeper Cata Coll for the first time with a free-kick before the break.

- Pina pounces -

Chelsea looked to slow the game down as much as possible in the second half, seemingly content with their single goal disadvantage.

However Pina, top scorer in the competition with nine goals, had other ideas and finished from close range after Ona Batlle zipped past Baltimore and crossed for the striker.

Baltimore netted with a bolt from the blue to give Chelsea hope, flashing a low shot across Coll and in at the far post.

However Pina pinged a corner to the back post and Paredes, who had escaped Lucy Bronze, headed home.

Chelsea signed Bronze and midfielder Keira Walsh from Barca to try and close the gap on the game's most dominant force, but on this evidence there is still some way to go.

Putellas produced a brilliant back-heel to tee up Pina at the death and the attacker beat Hampton with the aid of a deflection off Chelsea captain Millie Bright.

The second leg takes place at Stamford Bridge on April 27, with the winners facing record eight-time winners Lyon or Arsenal in the Lisbon final.

A.Hussain--DT