Chelsea
manager Roberto Di Matteo has his doubters, but he produced a tactical
masterstroke to guide his side to a 1-0 first-leg lead over Benfica in the UEFA
Champions League quarter-finals.
The Premier League club, England's last representatives in Europe, produced one
of their best performances of a troubled season as Salomon Kalou's second-half
away goal gave them a mightily impressive win in Lisbon on Tuesday night.
And credit must go to Di Matteo, who raised eyebrows before kick-off by making
six changes to the team which played out an uninspiring 0-0 league draw with
Tottenham at the weekend.
Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien were all on the substitutes'
bench, with Fernando Torres starting in attack, and, after initially looking
like a gamble, it paid off for Chelsea in a disciplined, determined and
energised display of counter-attacking
Di Matteo, having taken over until the end of the season after Andre Villas-Boas
was sacked earlier in March, suffered none of the misfortune of his former
colleague, who had been widely criticised when dropping his established stars in
the last 16 first-leg defeat at Napoli.
It was Chelsea's first away win in the Champions League this season and it was
also the first time Jorge Jesus' toothless Benfica have failed to score at home
in 22 matches in the current campaign.
Surprisingly, the 65,000-capacity Estadio da Luz was far from full, something
that was reflected by a strange atmosphere.
The game lacked intensity in the opening 18 minutes, but it finally came to life
when Raul Meireles was booked for tripping Nicolas Gaitan in full flight.
Going nowhere
Moments later, John Terry was caught out by a Bruno Cesar ball over the top, but
recovered to put off Oscar Cardozo as the striker tried to finish.
Torres volleyed over wildly after some excellent chest control, before Cardozo
nodded Gaitan's pinpoint cross over the top, then Maxi Pereira's ball forced a
panicky clearance from the excellent David Luiz.
Meireles drilled over from 25 yards before appearing to get away with a handball
in the centre-circle.
Benfica were marginally on top, but even their slickest moves were leading
nowhere.
Five minutes before half-time, a goalkeeper was finally called into a meaningful
save when Meireles' skidding 25-yarder was palmed wide by Artur.
Luiz was lucky to escape a caution for felling Pablo Aimar moments after the
restart, but was in the right place at the right time after the free-kick was
played in, clearing Cardozo's stinging strike off the line.
Benfica were finally playing with some urgency, but their accuracy continued to
let them down, as did Kalou's when he wasted a glorious chance for Chelsea,
heading over Torres' left-wing cross.
There were handball shouts against Terry when he blocked Pereira's follow-up
after Ashley Cole had thrown himself at the initial shot.
Salt in the wounds
Juan Mata could have immediately rubbed salt into the wound by giving Chelsea
the lead on the hour mark.
Petr Cech's clearance went straight over the Benfica defence to Mata, who
rounded Artur, but hit the post from a narrow angle.
Axel Witsel's deflected drive almost looped over Cech, who would have been
beaten had Jardel's bullet header from Gaitain's cross been either side of him.
Luisao picked up a yellow card for felling Ramires before Di Matteo withdrew
Meireles for Lampard.
Opposite number Jesus immediately responding by taking off Aimar and Cesar for
Rodrigo and former Chelsea player Nemanja Matic.
If Benfica were hoping that would be the catalyst for a final push, they were
mistaken as Chelsea took the lead 15 minutes from time.
Ramires showed remarkable determination and no little skill down the right to
release Torres, who burst into the box and kept his composure to square for
Kalou to slide home.
Brazilian Ramires hurt himself in the process of creating the chance, but was
able to continue as Chelsea looked to hold on to a lead away from home in Europe
for the first time this season.
Benfica threw on Nolito for Javi Garcia, while Ferreira and Kalou came off for
Jose Bosingwa and Daniel Sturridge, whose breakaway should have seen Chelsea
kill the game, and possibly the tie, when they wasted a four-on-two chance.
They almost paid in stoppage-time when Cole stabbed Gaitan's cross narrowly wide
of his own goal.
Teams
Benfica
Artur, Emerson, Luisao, Pereira, Jardel, Garcia (Nolito 82), Cesar (Rodrigo 70),
Aima (Matic 70) , Gaitan, Witsel, Cardozo
Subs Not Used Eduardo, Vitor,
Oliveira, Saviola
Booked
Cesar,
Luisao, Garcia
Goals
Chelsea
Cech, Cole, Luiz, Ferreira (Bosingwa 80),
Terry, Ramires, Mikel, Meireles (Lampard 69), Torres, Mata, Kalou (Sturridge
83)
Subs Not Used
Turnbull, Cahill, Essien, Drogba
Booked
Meireles
Goals
Kalou 75
Attendance
65,000
Referee
Paolo Tagliavento (Italy)
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