toptop
Mason
Mount and Ben Chilwell's first Champions League goals saw Chelsea beat Porto 2-0
to seize control of their quarter-final first leg in Seville.
Chelsea travelled to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in desperate need of a response
to Saturday's drubbing at the hands of West Brom, and Thomas Tuchel's side
delivered.
Mount opened the scoring shortly after the half-hour mark, exquisitely
controlling Jorginho's pass before finishing into the far corner to open his
account in Europe's elite-club competition at the 15th attempt.
On a night of firsts, Chilwell followed in Mount's footsteps with a stunning
first Champions League goal as he intercepted a stray pass, drove into the area,
and rounded the Porto goalkeeper five minutes from time.
The victory and two away goals leave Chelsea in complete control of the tie
ahead of next week's return leg at the same venue, where they aim to reach the
semi-finals for the first time since 2014.
Player ratings
Porto: Marchesin (5), Manafa (6), Mbemba (6), Pepe (7), Zaidu
(6), Grujic (6), Uribe (6), Otavio (6), Corona (6), Diaz (6), Marega (7).
Subs: Martinez (n/a), Vieira (n/a), Conceicao (n/a).
Chelsea: Mendy (8), Azpilicueta (7), Rudiger (7), Christensen
(7), James (7), Kovacic (7), Jorginho (7), Chilwell (8), Mount (8), Havertz (5),
Werner (6).
Subs: Pulisic (6), Giroud (6), Thiago Silva (n/a), Kante (n/a),
Emerson (n/a).
Man of the Match: Edouard Mendy
Porto were without their two highest scorers Sergio Oliveira and Medhi Taremi
through suspension but fashioned the early chances in Seville and should have
had something to show for it.
Luis Diaz forced a block from Andreas Christensen in the Chelsea goal mouth
before Mateus Uribe's brilliant control and volley sent the ball looping onto
the roof of the Chelsea net.
Porto went even closer midway through the half when Pepe headed the ball back
into the six-yard box moments after Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy hooked
Otavio's direct corner from under his bar, but Zaidu Sanusi blazed wildly over
from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Porto were left to rue the catalogue of misses just after the half-hour mark as
Chelsea scored a crucial away goal.
A first concerted spell of Chelsea possession ended with Jorginho firing a
perfectly-weighed ball into Mount, who pirouetted brilliantly in behind before
firing his maiden Champions League goal into the far corner.
There was still time before the interval for Porto to create another opening,
but Mendy preserved Chelsea's lead through to the break with a fine save from
Pepe's near-post header.
Mendy had to be alert early in the second period to prevent Moussa Marega from
punishing a defensive lapse from Antonio Rudiger, and it was all hands to the
pump for Chelsea as Porto piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser.
Porto had the ball in the Chelsea net on 56 minutes, but Pepe's effort was ruled
out after Chancel Mbemba was caught offside, moments before Diaz whistled a shot
a whisker wide of the post.
Cesar Azpilicueta squandered a glorious chance to give Chelsea some breathing
space when he headed Reece James' cross over from six yards, before substitute
Christian Pulisic went even closer when he rattled the underside of the bar six
minutes from time.
An advantage of any kind would have represented a job well done for Chelsea but
there was more to come from their impressive performance as Chilwell intercepted
Jesus Corona's stray pass, strode into the Porto area and coolly rounded the
goalkeeper to put the seal on a morale-boosting victory which puts the
semi-finals in sight for Tuchel's side.
Chelsea bounce back in style - Match stats
Chelsea have won consecutive away knockout games in the UEFA Champions League
for the first time since April 2004 under Claudio Ranieri.
No side has conceded fewer goals (2) or kept more clean sheets (7) in this
season's UEFA Champions League than Chelsea (level with Man City on both
counts).
FC Porto have lost six of their nine UEFA Champions League games against Chelsea
(W2 D1), their joint-most defeats against a side in the competition (level with
Real Madrid).
For the first time since March 2012 against Napoli (John Terry & Frank Lampard),
Chelsea have had two different English players score for them in the same UEFA
Champions League match (Mason Mount & Ben Chilwell).
Mason Mount has scored more goals in all competitions for Thomas Tuchel than any
other Chelsea player (5).
Porto defender Pepe (38y 40d) became the oldest outfield player to appear in a
UEFA Champions League quarter-final since Manchester United's Ryan Giggs back in
April 2014 (40y 123d versus Bayern Munich).
What's next?
Chelsea travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday Night Football at 5.30pm - live on
Sky Sports Premier League - while Porto travel to Tondela in the Primeira Liga
on Saturday at 6pm. Chelsea and Porto then return to Seville for their Champions
League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday at 8pm.
Click Here For UEFA Match Press Kit
Teams
Porto Marchesin, Manafa (Conceicao 83), Mbemba, Pepe, Zaidu,
Grujic, Uribe, Otavio (Vieira 83), Tecatito, Diaz, Marega (Martinez 83)
Subs Not Used Ramos, Loum, Anderson, Evanilson, Nanu, Sarr,
Leite, Baro, Mario
Booked Mbemba, Grujic
Goals
Chelsea Mendy, Azpilicueta (c), Christensen, Rudiger, James
(Silva 80), Jorginho, Kovacic (Emerson 90+2), Chilwell, Havertz (Giroud 65),
Mount (Kante 80), Werner (Pulisic 65)
Subs Not Used Kepa, Caballero, Alonso, Zouma, Hudson-Odoi,
Ziyech, Abraham
Booked
Goals Mount 32, Chilwell 85
Attendance 0
Referee Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
VAR Pawel Gil (Poland)