toptop
Eden
Hazard scored his first two goals of the season, but Chelsea were still held to
a 3-3 draw by Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Chelsea appeared to be cruising towards a comfortable win after strikes from
David Luiz and Hazard, only for Aleksandar Kolarov to pull a goal back for Roma
five minutes before half-time.
The visitors continued their fightback in the second period as two Edin Dzeko
efforts - the second reminiscent of Marco van Basten's famous volley for the
Netherlands at Euro 88 - put them in front.
However, Hazard was on hand to rescue a point for the hosts after heading in
Pedro's cross 15 minutes from a time, a draw that keeps Chelsea top of Group C
at the halfway stage.
The home team took an 11th-minute lead when Luiz, playing in midfield, strode
forward and unleashed a long-range effort that rebounded back to him off a Roma
defender.
The Brazilian, though, made no mistake with his second effort, beating Alisson
with a delightful curler from 25 yards out.
However, Roma were causing their opponents any number of problems on the break,
and Radja Nainggolan really should have equalised just past the half-hour mark,
only to shoot too close to Thibaut Courtois when well placed.
The visitors were then made to pay for that miss when Chelsea doubled their lead
eight minutes before the break, but again their goal was slightly fortunate.
Hazard picked up possession just inside Roma's half, before surging forward and
playing a one-two with Alvaro Morata on the edge of the area. The striker then
attempted a shot on goal that was deflected straight into Hazard's path, with
the Belgian making no mistake for his first goal since the final day of last
season.
That two-goal lead was short lived, though, with Roma halving the deficit less
than two minutes later when Kolarov's fierce drive from the left edge of the
area took a slight deflection of Andreas Christensen, with the ball looping in
over a helpless Courtois.
And the visitors then turned the game on its head after the break, striking
twice in the space of six minutes through Dzeko, the forward's 58th and 59th
goals for the club in just 100 matches.
The Bosnian's first strike was a sensational first-time volley after being
picked out by Federico Fazio's lovely ball over the top, while his second was a
deft header to nod in Kolarov's free-kick from the left edge of the box.
Chelsea avoided a third straight loss for the first time in 11 years, however,
when the unmarked Hazard nodded in Pedro's right-wing cross to end a breathless
night at Stamford Bridge.
Player ratings
Home Team: Courtois (7), Cahill (6), Christensen (5),
Azpilicueta (7), Alonso (6), Fabregas (6), Bakayoko (6), Zappacosta (6), Luiz
(7), Morata (6), Hazard (8)
Subs: Rudiger (7), Willian (6), Pedro (7)
Away Team: Alisson (6), Juan (6), Kolarov (8), Fazio (8), Peres
(6), Nainggolan (7), Strootman (8), Gonalons (6), Perotti (9), Dzeko (8), Gerson
(7)
Subs: Pellegrini (6), Florenzi (6), El Shaarawy (6)
Man of the match: Diego Perotti
Opta stats
Roma have never won an away game against English opposition in the Champions
League (D3 L6).
Eden Hazard scored his first Champions League goals since March 11th 2015 vs PSG
- 952 days ago.
Hazard's two goals on Wednesday were more than he had managed in his previous 14
games in all competitions for Chelsea (1).
This is the first time that a team managed by Antonio Conte has conceded three
goals in a Champions League game.
Chelsea have scored four goals from outside the box in the Champions League this
season, more than any other team.
Roma have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 23 away games in the
Champions League.
Six of David Luiz's last seven goals for Chelsea in all competitions have come
from outside the box
Edin Dzeko made his 100th appearance for AS Roma in all competitions and has
netted 59 goals so far
Man of the Match: Diego Perotti
The little Argentine was a thorn in Chelsea's side all night long, with the home
team's back three unable to cope with his trickery and dancing feet.
And while the winger was not directly involved in any of Roma's three goals, his
influence down the left helped create space in other areas of the pitch for his
team-mates to exploit.
What next?
Chelsea entertain Watford at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday
lunch time, a match you can see live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Click Here For Official Team Sheet
Teams
Chelsea Courtois, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill (c),
Zappacosta (Rudiger 77), Fabregas, Luiz (Pedro 57), Bakayoko, Alonso, Morata,
Hazard (Willian 80)
Subs Not Used Caballero, Kenedy, Batshuayi, Scott
Booked Bakayoko
Goals Luiz 11, Hazard 37, 75
Roma Alisson, Peres, Jesus, Kolarov, Nainggolan (c), Gonalons,
Strootman (Florenzi 83), Gerson (Pellegrini 74), Dzeko, Perotti (El Shaarawy 88)
Subs Not Used Moreno, De Rossi, Under, Skorupski
Booked
Goals Kolarov 40, Dzeko 64, 70
Attendance 41,105
Referee Damir Skomina (Slovenia)