Chelsea could not find a way to ascend to the top of Group D after playing out a goalless draw with leaders Hacken in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues would have climbed above their opponents with a win and were on the front foot for most of the contest but failed to solve the visitors’ stubborn defence and remain in second.

Erin Cuthbert came closest when she clipped the underside of the crossbar in the first half, while the Swedish side barely tested Zecira Musovic in the Chelsea goal.

Lauren James looked bright as a second-half substitute but the encounter was hardly the uplifting response the Blues would have wanted to Sunday’s 4-1 Women’s Super League defeat at the Emirates.

Chelsea had a chance inside the first minute through Fran Kirby, who moments later appeared to tweak something as she slid to connect for a second crack at an opener but was deemed fit to carry on.

The hosts remained largely camped inside the Hacken half where acting captain Sam Kerr volleyed the ball wide from a corner, Niamh Charles sent an effort into the side-netting and Guro Reiten found herself one-on-one with Hacken goalkeeper Jennifer Falk, who denied the Norway international with a sliding stop.

Well-timed interventions by Jess Carter and Kadeisha Buchanan broke up Hacken’s first threatening spell inside their final third before the hosts came inches away from taking the lead when Cuthbert clipped the underside of the crossbar with a volley from Reiten’s cross.

Musovic was briefly called into action to stop Anna Anvegard’s weak volley as her side continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession but failed to find the finishing touch by the halfway point.

Cuthbert skied an effort to start the second half, while Kirby, in space inside the area, could only land one in the roof of the net, and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was denied a chance to open the scoring against her former side.

The Sweden international was gifted a long ball from Cuthbert and was through on goal, but Falk came out to make a sliding stop reminiscent of her first-half block before Sam Kerr directed a header over the net.

James was treated to a warm welcome when she came on to replace Kaneryd as Emma Hayes made a double-swap in the 64th minute, also bringing on Sjoeke Nusken to replace Cuthbert as the Hacken defence continued to frustrate the hosts.

James got involved early, sending a the ball across the face of goal before picking out Kerr, who was offside when she nodded past Falk, who would later save James’ effort from distance.

There were more substitutions and set-pieces but – save for James’ saved effort in stoppage-time – they did little to change the narrative or the table.