Chelsea and Galatasaray’s Champions League tie remains still for the taking after the two teams played out a 1-1 draw. Chelsea can take away the positive that their game is still for the taking while all three other English sides have suffered defeats.
It didn’t take long – just nine minutes – before Chelsea managed to break the deadlock through Fernando Torres, who slammed the ball into an empty net. This being after Fernando Muslera came out of goal towards Cesar Azpilicueta, who cut the ball back to set up the striker. Chelsea continued to dominate for most of the first half, bar a bizzare disallowed goal for Galatasaray. Unbeknownst to the referee at the time, John Terry had kept hold of the ball when conceding a throw in and when Burak Yilmaz thumped another ball into the back of the net, there were two balls on the pitch. Terry was booked for his cheekiness and the Galatasaray team and fans were left fuming. The fans even booed Terry off the pitch at half-time.
However, the home fans would soon be thanking him. Minute’s after Selcuk Inan hit the post for the Turkish side in the second half, the centre-back would let Aurelien Chedjou get past him and fire the home side level in the 64th minute. Galatasaray also dominated most of the second half, with Chelsea more sluggish compared to the first 45 minutes. Torres did however miss a chance to double his tally for the night from 14 yards only to have his shot saved.
Galatasaray too could have equalised earlier, as Drogba headed a free-kick into the box to Inan, who hit the post from three yards out. It was lucky then, that teammate Chedjou would save his blushes and grab an equaliser a minute later.
It wasn’t to be for Didier Drogba on the night either, who barely touched the ball in the Chelsea area and he was subbed just before the end.
After the game, Frank Lampard said: “When it’s 1-0 with the atmosphere you know they will be in the game. We sat back a little bit and did things that were disapointing, so we know we have work to do at home.”
Speaking about Drogba he said: “He is a great lad, it was an honour to play against him, and to play with him for years. We’ll have to watch him back at the Bridge.”
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho also had some things to say:
“Galatasaray are a big club with big players and it was not easy. The first half we had chances to kill the game, I am not criticising our strikers but they had chances to do the second goal, and that would have changed the game. It’s not a bad result but they are an experienced team with good strikers and we will have work to do.”
By Charlie Gregory
@CharlieGLFC
