Bayern suffers hair-pull red card in draw with Barça in Women's Champions League semifinal

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich goalscorer Franziska Kett was sent off for pulling hair in a 1-1 draw with Barcelona in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semifinal on Saturday. Kett canceled Ewa Pajor’s early strike but was shown a red card in the 79th minute after she pulled Salma Paralluelo by the hair when the Barcelona substitute was getting away from her. Bayern coach José Barcala was also shown red by referee Ivana Martinčić for his protests, which were futile because a VAR check confirmed Kett’s foul. Kett preserved Bayern’s hopes of making the final for the first time when she equalized after a well-worked team move in the 69th. The match pitted newly crowned champions against each other after both teams clinched their domestic championships. But Barcelona won 7-1 on their previous meeting in the league phase and Bayern’s supporters must have feared the worst when Pajor scored with the visitor's first shot on target in the eighth minute. Esmee Brugts easily cut inside Giulia Gwinn to deliver the cross for Pajor to score with a volley. Despite conceding, Bayern improved as the half progressed. Kett drew a good save from Cata Coll before the break. Brugts struck the post after the interval as Barcelona regained its earlier dominance, only to be caught out when Kett leveled in the 69th. Bayern held on after Kett’s sending off to leave the tie finely poised before the second leg in Barcelona on May 3. Trophy-holder Arsenal faces eight-time champion Lyon in the other semifinal on Sunday. The final will be in Oslo on May 23. Barcelona is bidding to reach it for the sixth straight year. \\\_ AP soccer: