toptop
Group
winners Chelsea lost their perfect Europa League record as they were held to a
2-2 draw by MOL Vidi in Hungary.
Everything was going perfectly for Maurizio Sarri's men, who had already wrapped
up top spot in Group L, when Willian curled in a first-half free-kick to put
them ahead (30).
But within two minutes, Ethan Ampadu's clumsy header into his own net from a
corner provided a leveller for the hosts - and just the second goal Chelsea had
conceded in the competition.
Two became three in the second half when Loic Nego's crisp volley from Giorgi
Milanov's pinpoint left-wing cross whistled beyond Willy Caballero at his near
post to put the hosts in front (56).
Player ratings
MOL Vidi: Kovacsik (7), Vinicius (6), Fiola (5), Hadzic (7),
Huszti (6), Nego (7), Nikolov (7), Stopira (6), Juhasz (6), Scepovic (6),
Milanov (7).
Subs: Hodzic (n/a), Kovacs (n/a), Patkai (n/a).
Chelsea: Caballero (7), Zappacosta (5), Christensen (6), Ampadu
(5), Emerson (7), Fabregas (7), Barkley (6), Loftus-Cheek (6), Willian (7),
Morata (6), Hudson-Odoi (7)
Subs: Giroud (8), Pedro (6).
Man of the match: Olivier Giroud
But Olivier Giroud proved an unlikely supplier of another set-piece goal, firing
an excellent free-kick beyond Adam Kovacsik to level (75) and ensure Chelsea
remain unbeaten in Europe this season.
Vidi knew they had to better BATE's result against PAOK to stand any chance of
getting out of Group L, but they rarely looked capable of threatening
Caballero's goal early on.
Instead Willian stepped up to fire in from 20 yards with Kovacsik's poor
positioning leaving him unable to get across to save his free-kick, although he
did not need to lament the error for long.
Marko Scepovic's flick-on from a corner fell at chest height for Ampadu and,
under pressure, he nodded it into the back of his own net.
Team news
Chelsea handed Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi rare starts, with Willian the
only player kept from their Man City win.
The hosts turned the game on its head 11 minutes after the restart, when
Milanov's excellent delivery found Nego at the back post, and he connected
sweetly with his volley to leave Caballero with little chance.
Giroud should have pulled Chelsea level when he turned Cesc Fabregas' pull-back
over the bar but, moments later, he made up for that miss with an excellent
left-foot free-kick right into the top corner for his fourth goal in four Europa
League games this season.
Referee Aleksandar Stavrev was in danger of losing control late on as he failed
to punish a number of late challenges, but at full-time it was Vidi who had lost
control of their own fate - and with BATE's win in Greece, it is the Belarusian
side who will join Chelsea in the last 32.
Man of the match - Olivier Giroud
Giroud was excellent from the bench and while free-kicks may not often be in his
repertoire, he looked like a seasoned scorer with his fourth in as many European
games this season.
He offered more of a threat than Alvaro Morata, who he replaced in first-half
injury-time when the Spaniard hobbled off, and could have had another goal if he
had turned in Fabregas' pull-back too.
What's next?
Chelsea will travel to Brighton at 1.30pm on Sunday, fresh from ending
Manchester City's unbeaten league record last weekend.
Teams
Vidi FC Kovacsik, Vinicius, Fiola, Hadzic Patkai 85), Huszti
(Hodzic 81), Nego, Nikolov, Stopira, Juhasz (c), Scepovic, Milanov (Kovacs 81)
Subs Not Used Tujvel, Berecz, Tamas, Hangya
Booked Juhasz, Huszti, Vinicius, Nego
Goals Ampadu 32 (og), Nego 56
Chelsea Caballero, Zappacosta, Ampadu, Christensen, Emerson,
Fabregas (c), Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Willian (pedro 56), Morata (Giroud 45),
Hudson-Odoi
Subs Not Used Cumming, Luiz, Alonso, Jorginho, McEachran
Booked Loftus-Cheek
Goals Willian 30, Giroud 75
Attendance 19,242
Referee Aleksandar Stavrev (Macedonia)