Champions League: Benfica 0-1 Chelsea: Kalou Eschews Away Leg Blues (Photos & Highlights)

Chris Wright

28th, March 2012

7 Comments

By Chris Wright

With Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien on the bench (isn’t that a sackable offence?) Chelsea filed a textbook Champions League 1-0 away-leg victory over Benfica in Lisbon last night, with a clean sheet and an away goal ensuring they’ll be turning out for the ‘second half’ at Stamford Bridge in a week’s time in decent nick.

Roberto Di Matteo admitted he’d made a ‘risky’ call to include Salomon Kalou from he off (presumably as he’s a bit naff) but the spindly Ivorian nabbed the only goal of the game – poking home Fernando Torres’ clipped cross from a couple of yards out with 15 minutes left to play.

Shortly beforehand, Juan Mata came within inches of opening the scoring; scuttling on to Petr Cech’s humongous punt, rounding Benfica keeper Artur only to thunk an acute shot off the outside of the upright.

Apparently, at some point during the evening, Sky Sports reporter and chief supersnitch Geoff Shreeves attempted to rat out Raul Meireles to UEFA for making an ‘obscene gesture’ to the Benfica fans after they gave him their customary ‘ex-Porto player’ welcome:

“I asked UEFA about it at half-time but they didn’t know anything about it, so he may have got away with it.”

Geoff Shreeves: fighting the good fight. What a guy.

Photos…

Highlights…

Photos: PA

Posted in Champions League, Chelsea, Photos, Videos

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7 Comments

  1. sleeba says:

    Great result, Luiz immense, Chelsea have a new spine. Now watch them norse it up in the next round.

  2. joe says:

    great result, they werent at there best but got the job done, well done to salamon kalou- an underated player with a good goal scoring record. If chelsea lose in the next round to barcelona it will hardly be norsing it up, barcelona are an incredible team.

  3. sleeba says:

    Yeah whatever.

  4. MrMac says:

    Luiz showing signs of becoming the new defensive stone after Terry.

    Bout time really, was about to give up on him before christmas as the worst defensive purchase in chelsea history.

  5. Jarren says:

    What’s the odds on Di Matteo being given the job permanently if he can actually pull off the impossible and get Chelsea to the final?

    Beating Barcelona (or Milan) certainly looks good on a CV…

  6. V says:

    You all talk like Benfica has been eliminated.

  7. Jarren says:

    @V: It’s just interesting to speculate on how a Chelsea team in no uncertain period of transition would fare against The Best Team In The World Ever (TM).

    Certainly no disrespect towards Benfica.

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