The
Knockout stages of the 2015/2016 UEFA Champions League kicked off this week,
and in one of the most anticipated Match-Ups, we saw a PSG side that has been
dominant all season come up against Chelsea who have had more than their own
fair share of problems this season.
Meeting
for the Third consecutive time in three seasons, this year’s tie came with a
different build up story in the sense that for the first time, Chelsea were
going in with the underdog status. PSG were expected to make light work of
Chelsea over both legs and ten minutes into the game, it was almost visible
where those expectations were coming from. PSG Damn near played Chelsea out of
the Park, pun unintended and
expectedly got their breakthrough in the 40th
minute via a A Zlatan Ibrahimovic free-kick which took a deflection off Mikel
Obi.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shot takes a deflection off Mikel to beat Courtois. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images
But
in one of the most unscripted twists, Mikel Obi got Chelsea’s equalizer at the
other end after some disastrous defending from PSG.
Mikel celebrates with Cahill after firing Chelsea level. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
The second half however was a less contested
affair and it took the heroics of the Chelsea backline and Belgian stopper
Thibaut Courtois to keep Chelsea in the game. However, it was to futility on
the Night as substitute Edinson Cavani found the winner for PSG 12 minutes from
time.
Edinson Cavani scores the second from a tight angle. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters
The
question on everyone’s minds now looking forward to the second leg will be how
high are Chelsea’s chances of advancing after last Night’s performance and
result to go with it? Considering A 2-1 first leg defeat away from home is
anything but a death sentence and Chelsea certainly can be fancied to overturn
that deficit irrespective of their dire showings this season. Although, some
may still argue that the result last night didn’t tell the full story and
Chelsea were lucky not to have lost by an embarrassing scoreline thus making
the second leg a ‘Dead Rubber’ match. Whatever your take is, the return leg is
worth looking forward to which is the least you’ll expect at this stage of the
competition.
While
Chelsea may have the away goal and will certainly look forward to the return
leg in three weeks time with a fair bit of optimism, a few things are likely to
cause Guus Hiddink worries.
A
Lot has been said about Eden Hazard’s troubles this season, the Belgian
playmaker who last season received plaudits domestically and on the World stage
is yet to score from open play this term, and that is the baseline of what has
been a torrid season for the 25 year old.
Eden Hazard watches as Marquinhos flicks on. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Last Night’s game witnessed another
anonymous performance from Hazard and he was ultimately taken off with 20
minutes left for Oscar who would be ruing not taking the chance to give Chelsea
the lead minutes before cavani scored PSG’s winner.
On
a Night of visible positives for Chelsea (I mean, even a Mikel Obi goal),
Hazard’s performance or non-performance as it were is likely to give Chelsea
faithfuls headaches as it’s no gain saying if Chelsea’s story must change at
The Bridge, Eden Hazard will have to be way more involved than he was last
night. Where that touch of magic will come from is the $64,000 question.
Another
thing Chelsea will have to look work on is capitalizing on errors, especially
from set pieces. For a team that has not shown much in terms of attacking
threat all season, you’ll expect Chelsea to try and make the most of set-piece
situations. Couple of occasions last night, they won free-kicks in promising
positions but the deliveries were poverty to say the least.
Kevin Trapp makes the save from Diego Costa. Photograph: Paul Terry/JMP/Rex/Shutterstock
In
a game with a more reduced margin for error, Chelsea will also need to work on
concentration. For all the threat PSG pose, the two goals scored last night
were more down to lack of concentration on Chelsea’s part than anything else.
Worrying that both goals came in the 40th and 78th minute
respectively, it will be common sense for Chelsea to try and focus on keeping
it all together for the full game or risk another sob story of capitulating at
the tail’s end.
Gary Cahill stretches to take the ball from Blaise Matuidi. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
All
roads lead to The Bridge in three week’s time and with suspended midfielder,
Nemanja Matic set to return and captain John Terry possibly fit by then, Chelsea
fans are expected to be more excited looking forward to the game, justifiably
so.
In
all, the second leg should provide another pulsating encounter for all of us to
look forward to and enjoy.
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