LONDON: Chelsea wasted chance after chance and had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Schalke 04 in their opening Champions League Group G match at Stamford Bridge that made a mockery of both teams’ early season form.
Cesc Fabregas scored his first goal for Chelsea to put them ahead after 11 minutes but the London side, who have won all four Premier League games, were pegged back when Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a superb equaliser for Schalke, who are without a win in Germany this season.
Fabregas was fortunate Croatian referee Ivan Bebek allowed play to continue after he appeared to foul Max Meyer at the start of the move that led to his goal, which came when he fired past goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann with a lofted angled drive.
Didier Drogba wasted a great chance to seal victory for Chelsea but justice appeared to be done when Fabregas lost the ball at the start of the move that led to Schalke’s 62nd minute equaliser, which Huntelaar fired in from the edge of the box.
“We had more than a couple of fantastic chances to win the game but we got a point. It is not the best result but it is a result,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. “In the second half they scored, we had a good reaction and I have nothing to complain about with my players.
Chelsea dominated for much of the match and should have gone into the break with two goals on the board but, after scoring in the 11th minute, Fabregas was guilty of a bad miss in the 37th when he skied the ball over the bar from 10m out. Suddenly Schalke, who had been second-best, and understandably cautious after losing 3-0 home and away to Chelsea in the group stage last season, came to life and had two good chances of their own in the last few minutes of the half.
Kevin-Prince Boateng forced Thibaut Courtois into a diving save with a swerving shot smashed with the outside of his right foot, before Julian Draxler fired wide with the goal gaping just before the half ended. Ivorian Drogba, making his first start since returning to Chelsea, should have doubled their lead after
60 minutes but saw his angled drive go past the far post before Loic Remy, who had only
replaced Drogba a few minutes earlier, saw a shot headed off the line by Roman Neustadter.
REUTERS
