The Champions League campaign is on
a steadier footing after a thoroughly
deserved away win in Romania.
Ramires scored in each half, with an
own-goal sandwiched between the
Brazilian's strikes. Frank Lampard
completed the scoring in the closing
stages.
Jose Mourinho's men were 2-0 up and
comfortable just before half-time with
the third goal scored shortly after the
interval. Steaua had the occasional
chance after that, but on a night when
the Blues continued the bright passing
and movement seen in the second
period at White Hart Lane, it was always
likely a fourth would come and so it did
with two minutes left on the clock.
With the Chelsea Under-19 side winning
by the same scoreline in the same city
against their equivalents from Steaua,
it has been a good visit to Eastern
Europe for the west Londoners.
Team News
Jose Mourinho was true to his word at
the weekend and selected Juan Mata
from the start. With Eden Hazard out
injured, the substitute who replaced
him during the Spurs game, Andre
Schurrle, kept his place, as did
Fernando Torres up front.
Oscar completed the attacking quartet
with Ramires remaining alongside
Lampard behind them. That midfield
pair and the defence were the same as
in the impressive second half at White
Hart Lane.
Steaua made two changes from their
away defeat in the first group game.
Lucian Filip played in midfield in place
of Mihai Pintilii and Federico Piovaccari
was preferred to Pantelis Kapetanos as
the striker.
First half
Jose Mourinho had more or less
labelled this a must-win match even at
this early stage of the competition, and
it was easy to see why given the
pressure that would have built had we
not done so ahead of back-to-back
matches with Bundesliga side Schalke.
It was also easy to see Chelsea winning
on our return to Bucharest given the
balance of the opening minutes of this
game.
Almost from the off Schurrle embarked
on a weaving run that resulted in Mata
with the ball at his feet and the keeper
to beat. But realising he didn't have the
room to work it over Tatarusanu only a
couple of yards in front, the Spaniard
intelligently spun and laid the ball back
to Schurrle. Agonisingly the winger's
shot hit a defender with the goalie
struggling to regain position.
The bright start was countered by an
injury to Fernando Torres who had
been struggling since an early
challenge. Samuel Eto'o stripped and
was ready to come on as Torres had
treatment off the pitch, but our no.9
decided he could continue.
Only a couple of minutes later his time
was up, as the fourth official's number
board signalled the introduction of Eto'o
just 10 minutes in.
The roof had remained on the
impressive National Arena during the
wettest of wet days in the Romanian
capital, and the pitch showed no sign of
the puddles present during training 24
hours before.
Chelsea were forced to defend when
Lampard didn't collect a pass in front of
our penalty area from Mata but David
Luiz was able to head the eventual
cross to safety.
Soon after, the white-kitted Blues went
on a counter-attack. The ball was swept
out to the left to Schurrle who centred
to Eto'o. The scoring chance looked to
be the Cameroonian's but when the ball
was nicked away from his toes by a
defender, it came to Ramires who was
able to bundle it in from a couple of
yards out. The lead had taken 19
minutes to arrive.
At Tottenham, Mata had come on to
play on the right side, but tonight he
was more often the central playmaker
with Oscar out wider, and he was
justifying that by oiling Chelsea moves
through some very congested spots. His
lifted short pass over the defence on 25
minutes was close to giving Oscar a
clear sight of the target. Mata then had
shot that stuck under the keeper's
body.
Lampard was booked on 32 minutes for
a shove near halfway as Steaua were
sizing up a counter-attack possibility.
The Romanian league champions were
finding it tough to get at the Chelsea
defence. Terry and David Luiz were
playing the offside well when faced with
long balls and the midfield were helping
keep the home side at bay.
Highlighting the hard work was
Schurrle tracking a run 40 yards back
down his flank before dispossessing his
opponent, who had only just taken
possession of the ball.
When one cross did come over from
Popa into the danger zone, Cech was
able to help it on its way to safety.
A loose touch denied Schurrle a
shooting chance after Ramires had
shown good vision to find the German
in space, but two minutes before the
interval we were able to double our lead
with a helping foot from Steaua full-
back Georgievski. Mata released Eto'o
down the inside left channel and
although the keeper saved, the
defender haring back towards his own
goal couldn't help but divert the
rebound in.
The 2-0 scoreline was a fair reflection on
the first 45 minutes.
Second half
Ashley Cole was booked before five
minutes were up for tripping Stanciu;
Steaua having counter-attacked
following a highly uncharacteristic air
shot from Lampard in the sort of
position he relishes.
The third goal came four minutes later.
Schurrle's running with and without the
ball down the left had been a thorn in
the home side all night and having just
seen one dribble come to nothing, this
time after powering past more red and
blue shirts he centred to Oscar. The
Brazilian had the vision to pick out
Ramires's overlapping run for a
thumping finish.
The football was flowing. Mata rapped
the post with Oscar again conjuring the
opening but then Steaua had their best
effort.
Cech backpeddled to tip a lob from
Tanase over the bar but his momentum
kept him falling onto the post. That hurt
and treatment was needed for the big
Czech, but with half an hour to go he
was able to continue.
Schurrle went close before at the other
end; Stanicu worked Cech and then
fired over when the save came back his
way.
Eto'o, still in search of his first Chelsea
goal, connected sweetly with a volley
from an acute angle inside the final 15
minutes but unfortunately Tatarusanu
was equal to it and saved.
Azpilicueta and Willian were late
additions to the action, both in midfield
positions and they got forward, but it
was Lampard who scored the last goal.
Before that Cech made the last save,
tipping a long-range shot round the
post at full stretch. The corner that
followed resulted in a melee in our six-
yard box but the clean sheet survived,
taking Cech ever closer to Peter
Bonetti's club record.
The game had long been over as a
contest by the time of that late rally
from the Romanians and there was one
more chance to show our prowess on
the break. Eto'o made an advance on
the left of the area and gave the ball to
Willian over on the other side. It was
laid back to Lampard who found the net
with a first-time shot via the inside of
the far post.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1):Cech; Ivanovic, D
Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires,
Lampard; Oscar (Azpilicueta 78), Mata
(Willian 80), Schurrle; Torres (Eto'o 10)
.
Unused subs Schwarzer, Cahill, Mikel,
Ba.
Scorers Ramires 19, 54, Georgievski
o.g. 43, Lampard 88.
Booked Lampard 32.
Steaua (4-2-3-1):Tatarusanu;
Georgievski (Varela 70), Szukala,
Gardos, Latovlevici; Bourceanu (c), Filip;
Popa, Stanciu,Tanase; Piovaccari.
Unused subs Nita, Tatu, Prepelita,
Neagu, Cristea, Kapetanos.
Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo from
Spain.
Crowd
No comments :
Post a Comment