French Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to a 3-1 victory against Chelsea on Wednesday evening, in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, at the Blues stronghold “Stamford Bridge”.
Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick for Real Madrid in the 21st, 24th and 46th minutes, while Kai Havertz scored for Chelsea in the 40th minute.
The return leg is scheduled to take place on April 12, in the Spanish stronghold, Santiago Bernabeu.
pressure jumper
The match started, with pressure from the hosts, where Kanti passed a deep ball to Haveritz, who hit a powerful ball that passed over Courtois goal in the 4th minute.
The Brazilian crossbar was denied Vinicius Junior from scoring the goal for Real Madrid in the 10th minute, as he received a pass inside the area from his colleague Benzema, and evaded the Chelsea defense, before hitting a ball that hit the crossbar.
The referee awarded a direct free kick to Chelsea, on the edge of the penalty area in the 15th minute, and Reyes James, who sent a powerful ball, starred Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in stopping it.
Chelsea player Mason Mount hit a header from inside the penalty area, which was easily caught by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 20th minute.
Benzema goal
Karim Benzema scored the goal for Real Madrid in the 21st minute, when he received a cross from the left side through his colleague Vinicius Junior and hit a header to the right of Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy.
Benzema added the second goal for Real Madrid in the 24th minute, in the same scenario as the first goal, but this time a cross from Luka Modric on the right side placed it below the left of goalkeeper Mendy.
Mendy blocked Real Madrid’s right-back Dani Carvajal’s shot in the 32nd minute, and prevented him from scoring the third goal of Meringue.
Kai Havertz scored Chelsea’s first goal in the 40th minute, receiving a cross inside the area from his colleague Jorginho and hitting a header down the left of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Karim Benzema almost added the third goal for Real Madrid in the 42nd minute, when he received a cross from Vinicius Junior, and hit a ground ball that passed next to the right post of Mendy’s goal.
The first half ended with Real Madrid leading by two goals to one.
hattric
With the beginning of the second half, Karim Benzema succeeded in adding the third goal for him and Real Madrid in the 46th minute, as he took advantage of a naive error from Chelsea goalkeeper Edward Mendy, who advanced from his goal and crossed by mistake, to cut the ball and put the French into the net.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois starred in blocking a powerful shot from outside the area by Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, and turned it into a corner in the 49th minute.
