{"id":23811,"date":"2021-04-08T19:44:23","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T18:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/?p=23811"},"modified":"2021-04-08T19:44:23","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T18:44:23","slug":"uefa-champions-league-english-double-gives-chelsea-advantage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/index.php\/uefa-champions-league-english-double-gives-chelsea-advantage\/","title":{"rendered":"UEFA Champions League: English Double Gives Chelsea Advantage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chelsea last night banished the demons of their embarrassing defeat to West Brom at the weekend with a competent victory over Porto in the Champions League.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 2-0-win leaves Chelsea in a great position of progressing to the semi-finals for the first time in seven years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Blues came into the game in full force without any injuries, while the Portuguese side was missing midfielder Oliveira and Iranian forward <\/span>Taremi<\/span>\u00a0due to suspensions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both teams had landed shocks in the Round of 16 with Porto beating Ronaldo and Juventus and Chelsea humbling Spanish league leaders\u00a0<\/span>Athletico<\/span>\u00a0Madrid.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Porto began the fixture as the more threatening side with two\u00a0<\/span>Ot\u00e1vio<\/span>\u00a0shots coming closest to opening the scoring.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first goal came after the half an hour mark with a Mason Mount strike. Jorginho played a simple ground pass behind the Porto midfield, with one-touch Mount spun around a poor Sanusi tackle and firing low past an unready <\/span>Marchesin<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/FCYahoo\/status\/1379888091582791680<\/p>\n

Porto began the second half on the hunt for a goal back with pressure mounting on the Chelsea defensive line.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Werner missed the chance to grab a goal against the run of play after a\u00a0<\/span>Rudiger<\/span>\u00a0long shot was spilt by the Argentine keeper. Although the chance was missed, the London team grew in confidence again.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Porto thought they had a shout for a penalty with 20 minutes to go when\u00a0<\/span>Marega<\/span>\u00a0was felled by captain Azpilicueta but VAR and the referee deciding that the forward went down too easily.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tempers flared as the game slowed to a stuttering pace between fouls and dives. Pulisic missed a great chance to double the lead, beating the keeper but smashing the crossbar.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The miss was soon forgotten about when Chilwell rounded the keeper to score Chelsea\u2019s second. Corona failed to control a long ball, allowing the English fullback to burst through a tired Porto defence, deftly beating the keeper.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/btsportfootball\/status\/1379898340259823626<\/p>\n

With the help of some defensive substitutes, Chelsea held out the Porto attack to keep their two-goal lead.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although both legs of this fixture have been moved to the Sevilla stadium in Spain, this game was considered the away leg for Chelsea and the \u2018away\u00a0<\/span>goals\u2019<\/span>\u00a0will prove important in this tie.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Porto<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Man.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Sergio\u00a0<\/span>Conceicao Starting XI.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a01.Marchesin 18.Manafa 19.Mbemba 3.Pepe (c) 12.Sanusi 25.Ot\u00e1vio 16.Grujic 8.Uribe 17.Corona 7.Diaz 11.Marega\u00a0<\/span>Subs.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>50.Viera 83\u2019, 29.Martinez 83\u2019, 85.\u00a0<\/span>Conceicao<\/span>\u00a083\u2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chelsea<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Man.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Thomas\u00a0<\/span>Tuchel Starting XI.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a016.Mendy 2.Rudiger 4.Christensen 28.Azpilicueta (c) 21.Cilwell 17.Kovacic 5.Jorginho 24.James 11.Werner 19. Mount 29.Havertz\u00a0<\/span>Subs.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>10.<\/span>Pulisic 65\u2019,\u00a0<\/span>18.<\/span>Giroud 65\u2019<\/span>\u00a06.Silva 80\u2019 7.Kante 80\u2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mount 32\u2019, Chilwell 85\u2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yellow Card(s):\u00a0<\/span>Mbemba<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Grujic<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ref.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Slavko\u00a0<\/span>Vincic<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chelsea last night banished the demons of their embarrassing defeat to West Brom at the weekend with a competent victory over Porto in the Champions League.\u00a0 The 2-0-win leaves Chelsea in a great position of progressing to the semi-finals for the first time in seven years.\u00a0 The Blues came into the game in full force […]<\/p>\n

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