Lots of expertise, however not the outcomes to match. It’s changing into a well-recognized story for Chelsea.
Despite spending file sums on new signings, Chelsea fell brief as soon as once more in a 1-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and might want to enhance within the second leg to keep away from elimination within the Champions League spherical of 16.
Karim Adeyemi sprinted the size of the sector to attain the one objective on a lightning counterattack after Chelsea created — and missed — lots of the greatest possibilities.
After Chelsea’s João Félix missed a headed likelihood on a nook, the German group launched into the counter as Adeyemi surged down the sector, beating Enzo Fernández earlier than rounding goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and scoring into the empty internet.
Starting from the sting of his personal penalty space, Adeyemi picked up the ball from a clearance and wanted fewer than 9 seconds to attain on the different finish. He celebrated with a backflip.
Kalidou Koulibaly was on the coronary heart of the Chelsea protection however almost rescued a draw for his group on the different finish. Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel could not maintain Koulibaly’s low shot within the 78th minute and the ball rolled onto the objective line earlier than Emre Can hooked it away to maintain Dortmund forward.
Fernández — Chelsea’s costly signing final month — almost scored a last-gasp equalizer in stoppage time however the World Cup winner from Argentina noticed his curling shot saved by Kobel.
“There was a bit of luck in there for us and a good performance from our goalkeeper,” Dortmund coach Edin Terzic told DAZN.
It was Dortmund’s seventh win in a row, while Chelsea has one victory from nine games overall in 2023 as manager Graham Potter tries to integrate new faces.
“It was a really robust efficiency from us, particularly within the second half. Overall, we created lots of possibilities, had lots of efforts on objective,” Potter told broadcaster BT Sport.
“Of course we’re disappointed with the goal we conceded but I thought we were the dominant team in the second half. We need to regroup and attack the game at Stamford Bridge.”
Chelsea was allowed so as to add solely three of its 9 January arrivals to its Champions League squad, however Félix, Fernández and Mykhailo Mudryk have been all within the beginning lineup and all posed a menace.
With Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly watching from the stands, Félix had the 2 greatest probabilities of a primary half by which neither group had a shot heading in the right direction. Thiago Silva put the ball into the online for Chelsea early on however used his hand to do it.
Félix hit one likelihood over the objective and smashed one other shot in opposition to the bar. Chelsea’s tempo and hazard on the counter had been clear because the second minute, when solely a superbly timed sort out from Nico Schlotterbeck stopped Mudryk going via on objective. Chelsea piled on extra strain early within the second half earlier than Adeyemi’s objective on the counter modified the sport.
Dortmund — captained by 19-year-old Jude Bellingham — was busy too, with Julian Brandt after which Adeyemi stepping into good positions solely to hesitate, permitting Chelsea defenders to dam the pictures.
Sébastien Haller, making his European debut for Dortmund after lacking all the first half of the season whereas being handled for testicular most cancers, struggled to make an influence in opposition to the Chelsea protection and hit his greatest likelihood in opposition to the facet netting.
Benfica proceed successful run
Benfica stay a harmful attacking group regardless of dropping Enzo Fernández to Chelsea.
João Mário scored from the penalty spot and substitute David Neres added a second objective with two minutes left Wednesday as Benfica took a step towards the Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over Club Brugge within the first leg of their final 16 tie.
Benfica gamers’ superior technical expertise have been on show all through the night they usually made essentially the most of almost each possession to create hazard. They might have left the Flanders metropolis with much more room to breathe, however a little bit of clumsiness up entrance price them further targets.
João Mário put the guests within the lead after 51 minutes and Neres made essentially the most of a defensive error to make it 2-0 with a low end.
“When you play the primary leg of a tie away from dwelling and win, it’s an excellent first step,” Benfica coach Roger Schmidt stated.
Benfica are actually unbeaten in its final eight video games within the Champions League, with 5 wins and three attracts. The victory over the Belgian champions marked the primary time because the 2005-06 season that the Lisbon membership has gained three video games in a row within the European competitors.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
