First Half: Cech tips a corner over the bar but lands heavily on his ribs, forcing the keeper off. Ramires fires a cross/shot wide across goal. Raul Garcia heads over the bar. Mario Suarez fires a long range blast just wide of the near post. Diego Costa has a volley blocked by Azpilicueta.
Half Time: 0-0
Second Half: Lampard has a long range shot saved. Diego has a low shot from the edge of the box saved. Torres goes past three defenders but has a shot from the edge of the box saved at the near side. Gabi hits a free kick that deflects off the wall before being parried past the near post. Turan heads wide at the near post. Raul Garcia heads a looping header over the bar. Diego Costa has a header blocked by Cahill. Luiz fires a free kick wide of the near post. Diego Costa has a header saved.
Full Time: 0-0.
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Cahill. Atletico controlled most of the game and were largely on the front foot. However, they failed to score which keeps the tie nicely balanced. They created plenty of chances but just couldn't prise open a stern Chelsea defence. Diego Costa, Raul Garcia and Gabi all had decent chances scuppered but they will be pleased that they didn't concede an away goal. I would say the tie now favours Atletico who just need to avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge to reach the final.
Chelsea clearly came with a plan and that was to defend, defend and defend some more. A classic and typical Mourinho performance away from home who set the team up to play on the counter attack and not concede. Well they didn't concede but equally and if not more importantly, they failed to grab an away goal. Ramires, Lampard and Luiz all had chances but it didn't look likely that they were going to get an away goal from the way they were playing. Losing Cech was a big loss early on in the game but Scharwzer coped very well having not played that much this season and coming on in a champions league semi-final. I'm sure Mourinho will fancy his team to beat Atletico in the return leg but it is a high risk strategy that he opts to go with in Europe. It paid off against PSG but it may prove tougher to do the same against Atletico.
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