UEFA Champions League Matchday 8 Highlights
Napoli 2-3 Chelsea - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
A game that went to and fro for both teams with possession split 50/50, which showed just how open and free flowing the game was. Chelsea came out on top after a brace from Joao Pedro late in the game. Despite the fact that Napoli ended the game with more shots and shots on target, Chelsea were the most clinical with 3 of their 4 shots on target finding the back of the net.
It ended up being a costly defeat for Napoli as they lost the game and dropped out of the play off places by only a point. A disappointing end to the UCL season for the Italian club as 1 win in 5 left them in 30th place, well below the expectations of the club and fans. On the other hand, Chelsea moved up the table to 6th to clinch a round of 16 spot with results going their way and getting the points needed in a tough game against Napoli away.
Chelsea took the lead in the 19th minute from an Enzo Fernandez penalty. The penalty came from a free kick just past the D on the edge of the napoli box. As Reece James hit the ball, Juan Jesus appeared to move his arm down towards the ball with referee Clement Tupin immediately pointing to the spot. Fernandez managed to squeeze the ball into the bottom left corner past the goalkeeper with no chance for Alex Meret.
An equaliser came from a piece of individual brilliance by Antonio Vergara. He picked the ball up nearly 30 out from goal and ran at the Chelsea defence. He kept the ball despite a tackle attempt by Moises Caicedo and did a terrific Maradona turn on Wesley Fofana. Vergara then placed the ball into the corner of the net past Robert Sanchez. The man from Naples went straight to celebrate with the fans with a dream goal in front of his home fans.
Just before half time, Napoli were ahead with Rasmus Hojlund scoring in the 43rd minute to continue his good run of form since joining from Manchester United. A well worked goal made down Napoli’s left side with Elmas putting the ball into the path of Olivera just inside the box. He put the ball across the box to Hojlund who fired the ball in from close range.
It took Chelsea to the 61st minute to equalise and what a finish it was from Joao Pedro. He got the ball near the edge of the box and moved the ball out of his feet with a few touches. Pedro then saw an opportunity to shoot and took it from the edge of the D. What a hit it was as it fired past Meret and into the top right corner.
The winner for Chelsea was in the 82nd minute and it was Joao Pedro again to give them the 3 points. It was another goal with great team play from Chelsea in the middle of the pitch. Enzo Fernandez zipped it to Pedro, he laid it off to Cole Palmer as he spun and made a run up field which Palmer saw and put a great ball into his path. Pedro carried the ball from just past the half way line all the way to the box. He did have support from Garnacho but opted to take the shot himself in the box. Another brilliant finish from the Brazilian to find the bottom corner and send Chelsea back to London with the win.
Atletico Madrid 1-2 Bodo/Glimt - Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Another amazing result for Bodo/Glimt as they got a result away at Atletico Madrid to put them in the play off places. The wins against Manchester City and Atletico gave them the points needed and performances which warranted the place in the knock out stages.
Although the game was largely dominated by the home team it was the team from Norway that ultimately were the most clinical and won the game with 2 of their 4 shots on target ending in goals. The 60% possession, 25 shots and only 8 on target with 1 goal from that showed that Atletico struggled in front of goal which cost them. Atletico did make it through to the knock stages regardless but their last 2 games of a draw and loss could have cost them an automatic place in the round of 16.
The lead was taken by Atletico as Alexander Sorloth scored in the 15th minute. Good play on the edge of the Bodo/Glimt box by Atletico got the ball to David Hancko on the left side. He had time to look up and put a ball into the box onto the head of Sorloth. A powerful header across goal and into the bottom corner past the Bodo/Glimt keeper gave Atletico an early lead.
Bodo/Glimt were level before half time with tidy play on the left side of the Atletico box as they not only kept the ball in play but created from it as well. Intricate passing between the team had the ball at Bjorkan’s feet just inside the box. He passed the ball across the box and into the path of Frederik Sjovold who passed the ball into the bottom corner to equalise.
The night went from good to ecstasy for the away fans in the 59th minute as they got their winning goal. A penetrating run by Patrick Berg into the box had the Atletico players scrambling. He tried to play the ball off to a teammate but it led to a goal mouth scramble. Multiple blocks and saves later it fell to Kasper Hogh who managed to poke the ball home from close range. Atletico will have been frustrated to have given a poor goal like that away but the relentless pressure from Bodo/Glimt paid off as they got their goal to win the game and make it through to the play offs.
Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid - Estadio da Luz
This game had all the makings of an instant classic UEFA Champions League match. Multiple red cards, penalties, stoppage time goals in both halves, one of which was from the attacking goalkeeper and endless action made it easily the highlight of this matchday if not the game of the season so far.
The possession stats were edged just by Real Madrid but the shots and shots on target Benfica comfortably had more of. This did make sense however as Benfica were the team that needed goals late in the game to make it through to the play offs.
Real Madrid also had 2 players sent off in the added time in the second half. The first was Raul Asencio in the 92nd minute, with a needless challenge to leave the referee with no choice but to give him a second yellow card and send him off. They were then reduced to 9 men when Rodrygo was booked for descent but then continued and was given his marching orders by Davide Massa.
This proved costly as the last attack was the set piece for Benfica’s 4th goal. With only 9 players to defend the cross and all of Benfica’s players in the box Real Madrid were outnumbered and they conceded to send Benfica through and put themselves into the play off places too. A night to remember for Benfica and one to forget for Real Madrid.
The deadlock was broken within the first half an hour as Raul Asencio put in a lovely cross to the back post. Kylian Mbappe with a free header at the back post with a bullet header. The keeper did get his hands to it but the pace ultimately beat him and Real Madrid went 1-0 up.
Benfica were level just 6 minutes later with a counter attack that left a 2v2 for Benfica to try and make something from. It was made by Vangelis Pavlidis who took advantage of a slip from a Real Madrid defender before putting the ball across the box and on the head of Andreas Schjelderup. He couldn’t miss as he headed it through the legs of Courtois to make it 1-1.
In first half stoppage time, Benfica were awarded a penalty from a corner as Tchouameni was deemed to have had a hold of Otamendi’s shirt as the ball came in. The referee pointed to the spot with no hesitation and gave Asencio his first booking for his protests against the decision. Pavlidis put it straight down the middle and gave Benfica the lead going into half time.
A 3rd goal for Benfica came within 10 minutes of the restart. Good play between Prestianni and Pavlidis in the middle as the ball made its way to Schjelderup on the left. He ran towards the box and Asencio before he moved it to his right foot and fired it towards the near post. It beat Courtois at his near post which he may have been disappointed with but it was a good, quick finish from the Norwegian.
The 15 time winners pulled a goal back and reminded Benfica that the game wasn’t over just 4 minutes after they went 3-1 up. There was good play on the right for Real Madrid between sub Rodrygo and Arda Guler. With Guler putting the ball across the box and on a plate for Mbappe to shoot first time. He made no mistake and put it in the bottom corner to make it 3-2. It was game on again in Lisbon.
In the 98th minute, Jose Mourinho’s side were able to get their much needed goal from goalkeeper Anatolly Trubin. A last chance free kick from was swung into the box and Trubin rose with a great header past his opposition number in the Real Madrid game. The Estadio da Luz erupted and there was pandemonium on the pitch as the entire Benfica bench celebrated the goal from the most unlikely of sources. It proved to be the goal to send them through to the play offs and dump Marseille out of the Champions League in the final minutes of this season's competition.
