Real Madrid let it slip, PSG claw back from the spot: 1-1 in the Women's Champions League opener

Subheadline: Schröder strikes in the second minute, Karchaoui levels from the penalty spot with a quarter of an hour left

In football, some wins are earned by the other side and some are thrown away by the team that had them. On the night of Tuesday, 22 September 2026, Real Madrid came close to the second kind. The club drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in its first match of the Women's Champions League, and it could have taken more than a point if it had made better use of what it created.

Sweden's Felicia Schröder needed barely a minute. She scored in the second minute and gave Madrid the best possible start to a game billed beforehand as the real test of its European ambitions this season. An early goal like that sets the pace of the whole match. It puts the opponent under pressure from the clock and the scoreline, and it gives the home side room to play with confidence.

When wastefulness becomes a habit

But the early lead had a catch. Spanish reports agreed that Madrid "wasted" enough chances to settle the game, and the margin stayed at a single goal throughout. That kept Paris in the contest, waiting for one mistake to get back into it.

The penalty that changed the story

That mistake came in the 74th minute. PSG were awarded a penalty, and French international full-back Sakina Karchaoui converted it calmly. A night that was supposed to be a celebration in Madrid ended in a draw that felt like a defeat. One Spanish outlet wrote that "Karchaoui turned the debut into a stumble." The phrase fits: for Madrid, this point is two points dropped rather than one gained.

What it means

  • Madrid: The project, the tools and the attacking ambition are all there. What the team hasn't learned yet is that big European nights aren't won on good performances alone. You have to finish the game off when it's within reach.
  • Paris: They showed once again that they know how to survive. They weren't the better side, but they left a difficult ground with a point, and that is what makes the difference over a long league phase.
  • The competition: A draw to open is not a disaster, but it is an early warning. In a phase where every point counts, this missed win could matter when the final table is settled.

Bottom line

Madrid left with a draw. Paris left with a point that was worth more to them in practical terms. Between the second-minute goal and the 74th-minute penalty, Madrid had 72 minutes to put the game away and record their first win, and they didn't.

Match card
Real Madrid 1 – 1 Paris Saint-Germain
UEFA Women's Champions League, Matchday 1, 22/09/2026
Goals: Felicia Schröder (2') – Sakina Karchaoui (74', pen.)

Dr. Talal Othman, General Manager — GCC Sport