Olivier Giroud produced one other Champions League particular at hand Chelsea the benefit of their last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid after a 1-0 first-leg win in Bucharest.
he Blues ahead grabbed his sixth objective within the competitors this season with an overhead kick within the 68th minute but it surely was solely awarded after a prolonged VAR overview.
It was completely deserved for Thomas Tuchel’s aspect, who dominated for giant elements and prolonged their unbeaten run below the German to eight video games since his arrival on January 26.
A damaging was bookings for Mason Mount and Jorginho, which guidelines them out of the second leg, however Atletico boss Diego Simeone is aware of his group might want to rating at the least twice subsequent month to undergo in regular time.
Callum Hudson-Odoi was a shock title within the Blues beginning line-up for this tie hosted in Romania on account of coronavirus journey restrictions enforced by the Spanish authorities.
The England worldwide had lasted solely 31 minutes following his half-time introduction at Southampton on Saturday, however supervisor Tuchel performed the teen at proper wing-back.
Chelsea’s evening began on a poor observe when inside 60 seconds Mount was booked for a foul on Joao Felix, that means he might be suspended for the second leg at Stamford Bridge subsequent month.
Edouard Mendy nearly contrived to pile extra distress on the guests after a heavy contact within the penalty space however Saul was unable to benefit from the goalkeeper’s mistake.
After early stress from Atletico, together with a harmful Luis Suarez centre throughout the face of objective, the Premier League aspect began to dominate possession and a long-range effort from Marcos Alonso represented the primary shot heading in the right direction from both aspect.
It was routine for Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who had gone seven matches with no clear sheet and was compelled into extra strenuous motion six minutes earlier than the break as Timo Werner’s strike from a decent angle was nicely saved.
Goalless on the interval, Simeone would have been the happier of the 2 managers with quite a few absentees together with England full-back Kieran Trippier on account of suspension.
Not lengthy after Suarez noticed an effort deflected vast by Andreas Christensen, Joao Felix fired an overhead kick off track following Cesar Azpilicueta’s poor headed clearance in an indication Atleti had been set to be extra adventurous on this half.
Jorginho turned the second Chelsea participant to be dominated out of the second leg within the sixty fourth minute when he introduced down Joao Felix, however 4 minutes later the away aspect had been capable of break the impasse in model.
Alonso received ahead nicely and his cross was deflected into the trail of Giroud, who produced an excellent overhead kick from 12 yards which beat Oblak and located the underside nook.
It was instantly dominated out for offside, with Mount deemed to have knocked the ball ahead for his team-mate, however after a prolonged VAR overview it was adjudged Atletico centre-back Mario Hermoso had received the decisive closing contact.
Giroud’s eleventh objective of the season and sixth on this competitors gave Chelsea an important away objective within the tie and Tuchel reacted immediately with the introduction of N’Golo Kante and Hakim Ziyech with 16 minutes left.
Reece James adopted them on to the pitch quickly after, with Hudson-Odoi taken off after 80 minutes on this event.
Whereas Atletico pushed for an equaliser, Simeone made the shock resolution to take off Joao Felix and so they suffered a second consecutive defeat.
It provides Chelsea the higher hand forward of the return leg at Stamford Bridge on March 17, the place the Blues will goal to make the quarter-finals for the primary time in seven years.
PA Media