CL · Group Stage · Matchday 2 - Steaua Bucharest vs Chelsea

Just as with Matchday 1 opponents Basel, Chelsea and Tuesday's opponents will be no strangers either, having gone head to head in the Third Round of last year's Europa League campaign.










The first leg away in Romania was a disappointing affair for Chelsea. The Blues were unexpectedly defeated 1-0 by a Raul Rusescu penalty after the player was pulled back by Ryan Bertrand in the box, meaning Rafa Benitez's men would need a rally at home the week after if they were to advance to the next round.











In the second leg alas, Chelsea's quality did, indeed, shine through. An opener from Juan Mata in the first half canceled out Steaua's goal the week before and leveled the aggregate scoreline, but a Bucharest equaliser on the night from Vlad Chiriches gave the visitors a glimmer of hope - and an
all-important away goal. Nevertheless, Chelsea won the day and the tie via a John Terry header followed up by a Fernando Torres strike with just under 20 minutes remaining to fire the eventual cup-winners into the quarterfinals.










Chelsea's fantastic performance in the second half at White Hart Lane in their Saturday Premier League fixture against bitter rivals Tottenham, in which John Terry neutralised Gylfi Sigurdsson's first-half opener off a Juan Mata free-kick, earning Chelsea a draw on the day, will give the visitors encouragement and confidence going into this vital European tie.











Juan Mata, who put in a brilliant performance himself in that match after being put on after halftime and assisting the equaliser, will start Tuesday's tie as a result of his consecutive good showings this past week, José Mourinho announced after Saturday's derby.










Frank Lampard is the only known fitness concern for Tuesday following the England international's injury late on in the derby against Spurs on Saturday.

Mata

MATA FTW!

Yay mata! Maybe if Torres starts he can continue his good performance if at all, or else back to eto'o

I saw Mata on the left, middle and the right.. lol

Damn.. these previews <3

Mata

Glad I got back in time for this!

CHELSEA XI: Cech; Ivanovic, D Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Mata, Oscar, Schurrle; Torres


SUBS: Schwarzer, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Mikel, Willian, Ba, Eto’o

Early substitution. Torres off with some kind of knee problem 11th minute. Eto'o on in his place.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!


Ramires

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!


OG

Damn can someone enlighten me on Torres' injury? I missed the first half watching the second half now

It's a bit of a mystery atm. He didn't appear to have been touched, at least to me, but was down in wide open space in obvious discomfort less than 10 minutes in. A few minutes on the touchline for treatment and he came back on, but not long after he said he needed to come off for good. We'll know more after FT.

Shed wrote:It's a bit of a mystery atm. He didn't appear to have been touched, at least to me, but was down in wide open space in obvious discomfort less than 10 minutes in. A few minutes on the touchline for treatment and he came back on, but not long after he said he needed to come off for good. We'll know more after FT.

Hmm hope it's not something from that injury in 2010 that made him crap

GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!!



Ramires gets his second of the night with a great strike.

SO close from Mata who hits the post

Big Pete now on the ground injured after smashing his back into his post.


...But he's alright

Phew I got so scared for Cech when I saw that, glad to see him alright

We should get a 4th and 5th goal because our fate will probably end up in goal difference

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!



Super Frank

FT: Steaua Bucharest 0-4 Chelsea

Frankie

Schurrle was fantastic, Mata was good but I felt we should have played Willian from the Off instead of Oscar. He would have provided much more width and we would have been more dangerous.

It's a good result to get us going, but now we have got to perform against Schalke.

Hopefully we can bring that form into the Norwich match and build on it.

Ash Cole's faces in goal celebrations are always so ledge