This was another thrilling match that once again showed why we love the Champions League so much. Zenit St. Petersburg was definitely not a favorite against Chelsea, but he managed to draw with her. First he led, he lost at the end and hid the equalizer until the set time.
Chelsea fought Juventus at a distance for group leadership and the cards were dealt clearly. Whoever wins becomes the ruler of the group. Chelsea had to go as far as Abramovich’s Russia. According to Forbes, the 142nd richest man in the world wanted to see his jewel win, but Zenit prepared a very unpleasant surprise for him.
At first, everything went smoothly. Already in the second minute, the long-criticized Timo Werner made himself known. At first, Saúl, who was not very well used so far, failed to get into the middle of the lime in a huge chance, but did not lose Keržakov’s goalkeeper. But right from the next corner, the ball fell to the back post, where Werner was just ready.
Zenit also had a huge chance. Specifically, it was prepared by Claudinho, who was moving on the edge of the offside and addressed the approaching Malcom with a beautiful pass to the open space. However, the former Barcelona player failed in a huge chance and watched as Kep caught his blow. He reduced his shooting angle and caught the shot.
Ten minutes before the end of the first half, Chelsea almost led by two goals when Romelu Lukaku reached the end. But he didn’t come to Kerzakov. And he must have been very sorry, because just three minutes later, Douglas Santos had found Claudinha’s beautiful passport and he had placed himself in the head to which Kepa was not entitled.
And it was worse. Three minutes were enough for the home fighters to turn the score against the current trophy defender. The game of quick counter to open defense paid off for Zenit. This time Malcom found a loophole in the defense and sent Sardar Azmoun to a chance. He managed to bypass the goalkeeper Kepu and finish in the empty goal – 2: 1.
For some inexplicable reason, Chelsea’s defense was absolutely unaware of such actions, and just two minutes later, Azmoun almost prevailed from a completely identical chance. But he didn’t mature on Kep.
The second half promised Chelsea’s savage breakthrough, as she would be second in the group. But there was no greater pressure. Nevertheless, the Blues were compared. Timo Werner received an amazing vertical for the defense, who managed to record a free Lukak. This was bothered by the defense of Zenit for a while, but for Lukaku it was like fighting a fly. He kept the defender on his back without noticing him and finished – 2: 2.
Zenit could take the lead back twenty minutes before the end, when Sardar Azmoun hung up again. However, Kepa kicked his exact header off. Today was clearly Tim Werner’s match, which added two goals to one assist. Pulisic served the other five minutes before the end and Chelsea led.
It seemed that nothing could deprive her of winning and first place. But that wasn’t quite true at all. In the fifth minute of the setting (out of the original six), the ball fell to the edge of the lime, from where the ball from the first show shot hit Alexandr Jerochin – 3: 3. A shock for the guests from London, but given the development of the match, this is a fair draw. For Chelsea, it means second place, the group was dominated by Juventus.
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