Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel rues missed chances to put Champions League semi-final beyond Real Madrid

Blues dominated their hosts early on and led through Pulisic goal before Benzema ensured a share of the first-leg spoils

Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic scores during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium in Valdebebas, on the outskirts of Madrid. AFP

Chelsea's Timo Werner vies with Real Madrid's Raphael Varane. AFP

Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger challenges Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. AFP

Real Madrid's Eden Hazard in action. Reuters

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel. Reuters

Real Madrid's Casemiro challenges Chelsea's Christian Pulisic. AFP

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their equaliser. Reuters

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their equaliser. Reuters

Chelsea's Timo Werner. EPA

Real Madrid's Marcelo vies with Chelsea's Christian Pulisic. AFP

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel rued his side's missed chances after dominating Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

A goal from USA international Christian Pulisic fired Chelsea inside a quarter-of-an-hour at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium, and the visitors created plenty more opportunities to put the tie beyond their hosts as Real failed to trouble Edouard Mendy at the other end.

Yet Chelsea's inability to score a second away goal proved costly as Karim Benzema's fine effort levelled things up before the break with his side's only shot on target in the opening period.

"I have a feeling we should have won the first half and we could have perhaps decided this game in the first half an hour when we were playing so strong," Tuchel told the BBC.

"The second half was a tactical game and you could feel we only had two days in between two away games which made it physically and mentally demanding and you could feel it in the decision making.

"We suffered a bit and an extra day would have been nice."

Timo Werner failed to beat Thibaut Courtois from close range early in the game and Tuchel was left frustrated by the German striker's inability to put away clear chances.

"He missed a big one at West Ham United [on Saturday] and now he's missed a big one here, that doesn't help," Tuchel told a news conference. "It doesn't help crying about it or regretting it.

"There are millions of people who have harder things to deal with than chances that you miss ... I don't feel we're pointing fingers but of course the strikers want to score.

"This is the highest level and when you have a good half-an-hour like we did ... then yes we wish for more composure and more precision in the decision making and finishing."

Despite failing to inflict more damage on Madrid, Chelsea are in the driving seat to reach a first Champions League final since 2012 ahead of next week's return leg at Stamford Bridge.

REAL MADRID RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois – 7. Made a fine point-blank save with his foot to keep out Werner 10 minutes in. Pulisic wandered around him for the goal, but he stood up to everything else. AFP

Eder Militao – 8. Made the flick-on that set up Benzema’s equaliser. At the other end, he had a crucial block to thwart Werner at the start of the second half, and later against Ziyech. AP

Raphael Varane – 6. Got in the way of a Mount drive that was goalbound in the second half. Upended Havertz to leave Chelsea with a dangerous shooting opportunity. AP

Nacho – 6. Caught out for the goal by an incisive through ball from Rudiger, and was unable to make amends thereafter. AP

Dani Carvajal – 6. Looked pained when he clashed knees with Chilwell, and was not visibly comfortable in his wing-back role before he was taken off in the second half. Getty

Luka Modric – 7. Absent in the first half, but started to assert himself after the break. It was no coincidence that was when the hosts started to purr for the first time. PA

Casemiro – 6. Often overrun by the fluent Chelsea forward runners early on, but made a vital contribution for Benzema’s goal. EPA

Toni Kroos – 6. Struggled to keep pace with Kante, as shown when he was booked for a foul on the Frenchman. Seemed more keen to run back towards his own goal with the ball than progress the play. AP

Marcelo – 6. Lucky not to be punished after his mistake led to an opportunity for Werner at the start if the second half. Booked for a cynical foul on Pulisic. AP

Karim Benzema – 8. The one player who railed against the blue tide in the early exchanges. Crashed a drive from distance against a post, then powered in a goal from a corner. Reuters

Vinicius Junior – 5. Booked for a lunging challenge on Pulisic as the rain teemed down. Flattered to deceive too often, and made way for Hazard. Getty

SUBS: Eden Hazard – 6. Rarely spotted after he was brought on for Vinicius in the second phase, when he would have been itching to impress against his former side. Getty

Marco Asencio – NA. Inconspicuous after his second-half introduction. Getty

Alvaro Odriozola – NA. Had just enough time to propel himself into the referee’s notebook with a foul on a rampaging Rudiger. Getty

Rodrygo – NA. Got himself an appearance fee in injury time at the end of the game. EPA

CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy – 6. Madrid’s goal was down to his defence failing to clear a cross rather than any error on his part. He was troubled little apart from that. Getty

Andreas Christensen – 7. No clean sheet, which is rare under Thomas Tuchel’s stewardship, but their back three was generally solid enough against a celebrity opposition. AFP

Thiago Silva – 7. Helped his captain, Azpilicueta, out with an acrobatic clearance in the second half, and provided a calming presence throughout. AFP

Antonio Rüdiger – 7. Provided an adept assist as Chelsea took a well-deserved early lead, but was beaten to the header by Militao which set up Benzema’s goal. EPA

Cesar Azpilicueta – 6. He and Marcelo mostly cancelled each other out, before he showed signs of cramp and was swapped off for James. Getty

N’Golo Kante – 9. Powered his side forward as they dominated the opening throes, and played a brilliant reverse pass to set up Werner just after the interval. AFP

Jorginho – 7. Given the celebrated players they were up against, Kante and Jorginho’s dominance of the midfield was commendable. EPA

Ben Chilwell – 5. Often out of sorts when well placed high up the field, and showed signs of apprehension when he booted a clearance into touch when under little pressure. PA

Christian Pulisic – 8. Deft header set up Werner for an early chance from which he should have scored. Exuded composure when he opened the scoring shortly after. Booked for a foul on Marcelo. Getty

Timo Werner - 6. Somehow contrived to shoot at Courtois when a goal should have been his on 10 minutes. Had a good chance in the second, too, before making way for Havertz. EPA

Mason Mount – 7. His purposeful run led to the early chance for Werner, and he was prominent in Chelsea’s early excellence. Getty

SUBS: Hakim Ziyech – NA. Very perky after his late introduction, and might have had a scoring chance were it not for the sharpness of Militao. Reuters

Reece James – NA. Immediately into defensive action with two timely interventions shortly after coming on for Azpilicueta. AP

Kai Havertz – NA. Brought on for his compatriot Werner, and did win a free-kick in a promising position in the short time he was given to influence the play. Reuters

Real had breezed past Liverpool and Atalanta in their last two home knockout games but were really put to the test by Chelsea's intense pressing game and Zidane credited Tuchel's side for keeping his team at bay.

"We are good at pressing teams high up the pitch but our opponents were very good, very competitive. They've had 21 games and not conceded in 16 of them [before Tuesday's game] and they proved why. They are in the semi-finals for a reason," he added.

Real keeper Courtois agreed that the Premier League outfit had been the more impressive side but warned that his team would put them under pressure in the second leg in London.

"They were more aggressive and more intense, we wanted to start the game like they did, they gave everything. The first goal came at a difficult time for us but we were able to lift ourselves up and the second half was less crazy," he said.

"The 1-1 score means next week's game is like a final. I don't think it will end 0-0 and if Chelsea sit and wait for us they could be making a big mistake."