CHELSEA began their Champions League title defence with a home victory against Russian side Zenit.
Romelu Lukaku once again proved to be the difference, heading home from a pinpoint Cesar Azpilicueta cross in the second half.
- Final score: Chelsea 1 Zenit 0
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GOODBYE FROM THE BRIDGE
One-nil to the Chelsea! This season’s Champions League campaign has begun in the same manner as the last ended.
While tonight’s narrow victory won’t be celebrated as wildly as May’s final triumph, the manner in which the holders dug out an opening day win will please Thomas Tuchel and his acolytes.
Romelu Lukaku once again did the job he was brought back for, scoring the decisive goal when all other routes looked futile.
So the Champions League holders are up and running for 2021-22, tomorrow it will be the turn of the beaten finalists. Manchester City’s home fixture with RB Leipzig is one of eight group games on the agenda, and you can follow all the action with us here.
KEEPING IT CLEAN
Thirteen? Unlucky for some, perhaps, but not Edouard Mendy.
The Chelsea goalkeeper survived an injury scare in the warm-up this evening to keep his tenth Champions League clean sheet. The impressive milestone has been brought up in just 13 appearances since he joined the club.
THOMAS NEVER DOUBTED
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has expressed his delight at the determination shown by his players to break down a resilient Zenit Saint Petersburg side.
“It was not frustrating, it was tough against a very strong opponent.
“We had to work really hard to have high ball recoveries which we did. We brought a huge intensity to the game, and we tried to keep the intensity high, on and off the ball, but it took time.
“We struggled to create chances and shots in the first half. The second half was a bit easier for us to find little space, and find those moments to shoot and create chances.
“It was a deserved win, but it was hard work.”
H-ERE WE GO
Favourites to quality before a ball was kicked, Juventus and Chelsea already find themselves at the top of Group H after matchday one. However, while the Blues laboured to their home success, Juve cruised to victory in Sweden with their final goal coming courtesy of former Chelsea forward, Alvaro Morata.
- Chelsea 1-0 Zenit
- Malmo 0-3 Juventus
Credit: UEFA.COM FULL TIME STATS
Chelsea created little at Stamford Bridge, but when you have a finisher of Romelu Lukaku’s calibre, there’s always a chance. The striker scored the game’s only goal from his only attempt on target this evening.
Credit: UEFA.COM FT: CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
The Champions League holders begin their defence with a win in Group H, but they had to work hard for it. Against a disciplined Zenit side, the Blues huffed and puffed without joy until Romelu Lukaku continued his bright start to life back at the Bridge by rising highest to head home Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FINAL WHISTLE IS BLOWN!CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
90+4. A brilliant tackle from Douglas Santos denies Romelu Lukaku a second goal that would have sealed the points in style.
The striker looked in goal following a quick Chelsea counter, only for the Zenit captain to execute arguably the challenge of the night with the game’s last act.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
90+3. Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s reward for his slapdash performances on loan at Fulham last season is a Champions League cameo.
The midfielder comes on for Mason Mount.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
90. Four minutes of additional time are signalled by the fourth official.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
89. On commentary, Ian Darke points out that Zenit’s only previous win in England was against Bradford at Valley Parade in the Intertoto Cup.
*Insert whatever happened to Bradford/the Intertoto Cup comment here*
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
88. The last rolls of Sergei Semak’s dice. Andrei Mostovoy and Danil Krugovoi are on, Claudinho and Yaroslav Rakits’kyy go off.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
87. Just a few minutes remain, and Chelsea still lead but only by one goal.
And as we know, when it’s only one goal, anything can happen.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
85. Rudiger continues to reinvent himself as a marauding winger as he goes on another surging run down the left.
This time, he slips in Chilwell on the overlap, but the substitute’s cross is cut out by a panicked Zenit defence.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
83. The lesser-seen Ben Chilwell. The defender is on for Marcos Alonso as Thiago Silva replaces Cesar Azplicueta.
Zenit have also made a change, Kirill Kravtsov has come on for Daler Kuzyaev.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
80. Dzyuba! Must be! Wide!
Three quick passes and Azmoun finds himself in on the right, and his first time delivery looks perfect for his strike partner sliding in.
Dzyuba gets his foot to the low cross, but without the power necessary to take it beyond Mendy. Instead the attempt trickles wide, and the striker crashes into the home goalkeeper.
A big chance for the big man to equalise, but Chelsea survive.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
79. Ben Chilwell warms up and looks set to play his first minutes of football since last season.
So obviously that’s the cue for Alonso to show off his skills by twisting past two defenders and firing a shot just wide.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
77. It appears the visitors are going to take a more direct route now following the introduction of Dzyuba.
The 33-year-old is an absolute unit up front.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
75. A double substitution from Zenit, and Sergei Semak is clearly chasing the equaliser.
The big man, Artem Dzyuba, is on to partner Azmoun, and also on is the Russian international, Aleksandr Erokhin. Off go Wendel and Malcom.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
72. Mount almost adds a quickfire second, but attempts one turn too many in his desire to find space to shoot in the box.
CHELSEA 1-0 ZENIT
69. Romelu Lukaku has his first Champions League goal for Chelsea!
The striker once again shows his worth just when it looked as though his side had run out of ideas to break down a stubborn Zenit outfit.
Cesar Azplicueta played his part, delivering a delicious deep cross from the right, and there was Lukaku, peeling off his marker at the back post, to head delicately down and past Stanislav Kritsyuk.
The Champions League holders are off and running!
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!
ROMELU LUKAKU BREAKS THE DEADLOCK!!CHELSEA 0-0 ZENIT
68. Another glimpse of the Zenit threat on the counter.
Azmoun fails to control a quick pass forward, but Wendel follows up and takes sight. He unleashes a long range curler that’s plucked out of the air by Mendy,
CHELSEA 0-0 ZENIT
66. More pressure. More corners. Again, Alonso fails to get his deliveries away from the Zenit goalkeeper.
CHELSEA 0-0 ZENIT
64. Chelsea keep pushing and probing. The game is being played almost entirely in the Zenit half.
The home side even force a couple of corners that have Kritsyuk flapping the ball away from the danger.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
