Chelsea’s 2 – 1 Benfica is the score card which made Chelsea double European champion, though for time being only, by winning Europa League as well as the reigning UEFA Champions League Champions. They are the only team in the history of European Club Football history to hold both trophies simultaneously. Fernando Torres, the Spaniard became the only player to be World Champion, European Champion, Champion’s League winner and Europa League Winner.
Branislav Ivanovic’s beautiful header won the match in 90th minute from the corner of Juan Mata. Match was heading to extra time when Benfica’s leading goal scorer in the league Oscar Cardozo levelled the score at 1-1 in 68th minute from the penalty spot. Earlier, Fernando Torres had scored in 59th minutes to put Chelsea on the track for rare feat which was eventually sealed by Branislav Ivanovic.
Earlier, the game had followed a similar pattern in both halves. Benfica enjoyed more possession and territorial advantage but failed to capitalize. Chelesa had their chances too. Frank Lampard came close to scoring at the end of first half and hit the wood work too, later in the game. Torres struck at the hour from a counter attack, it was his sixth goal in the tournament and he scored expertly. Later, Oscar Cardozo scored from the spot (Penalty) for the handball to make the scores level.
TEAMS:
Chelsea was playing without John Terry, who did not recover from ankle injury sufficiently, so Ivanovic came into central defence alongside Gary Cahill. Ramires moved to a wide-right position for this game with Oscar coming in. They replaced injured Eden Hazard and Victor Moses, who was on the bench. Frank lampard, the stand-in captain played alongside David Luiz and Fernando Torres lead the attack.
Benfica were playing without right back Maxi Pereira from their semi-final line up being suspended. Andre Almeida moved across from left-back to replace him with Lorenzo Melgarjo coming in on the left. Nicolas Gaitan moved from midfield in the Fenerbahçe games to play as one of the front three.
PLAY:
It was a night when Chelsea rode their luck for periods against their Portuguese opponents but the sheer grit and resilience shown in grinding out this win in their 68th game of the season is a tribute to their reserves of character. No doubt, they deserved it for the mettle they have displayed in the field.
The first chance was for Benfica and centre-forward Oscar Cardoza must have been unhappy not the head a cross from the right at least on-target with just two minutes played. Cesar Azpilicueta then had to get his chest in the way of a ball diverted towards the Chelsea goal by Ivanovic.
There were words from the referee to Nemanja Matic five minutes in after he bundled Ramires to the turf on halfway, but no booking for the former Chelsea midfielder. Unfortunately Oscar couldn't control a well-weighted ball over the defence by Juan Mata with the offside flag staying down.
For all Benfica's possession and superiority, it was their goalkeeper Artur who had to make the half's outstanding save. The keeper, prone to occasional moments of eccentricity, did brilliantly to change direction and palm Lampard's swerving shot to safety.
Chelsea were asked to defend stoutly in the opening minutes after the interval, with balls coming in from both flanks, but still Cech had yet to be asked to make a proper save. Azpilicueta tracked inside diligently and hacked the ball off the toes of Salvio in front of goal when Cardozo had turned inside Cahill and squared.
Cardozo had the ball in the net on 50 minutes but he was offside.
Chelsea took the lead against the run of play just before the hour, but it was a moment of vintage Torres that provided it. He showed pace and body strength to escape the attentions of Ezequiel Garay and Luisao before rounding Artur to score from the tightest of angles.
The lead lasted only nine minutes. Benfica drew level from the spot after Cesar Azpilicueta handled Eduardo Salvio's header, Cardozo scoring emphatically.
It required superb athleticism from Cech to prevent Cardozo putting Benfica in front with nine minutes left, the keeper at full stretch to turn his dipping 20-yard shot over the bar.
Benfica forced Chelsea into some hurried clearing as the clock ticked towards the end of normal time, but then another tireless Ramires run won a corner inside stoppage time. Mata sent the ball over deep and Ivanovic, between two defenders rose sky high. His header arced beautifully over the grounded Artur before the Serbian slid joyously in celebration in front of the Chelsea fans at that end.
Benfica, with their greatest ever player Eusebio watching from the stands, were attempting to lift their European curse and end a 51-year barren sequence but have now lost seven successive European finals, many of their players slumping to the turf in tears at the final whistle.
FUTURE AHEAD:
Outgoing Chelsea Interim Manager Rafael Benitez ends his tenure with triumph. He was quite unpopular with club fans for being associated with Rivals Liverpool, but they were celebrating in Amsterdam when the trophy was added to the now unmatched cabinet ever.
With Frank Lampard’s contract extended for one year and Mourinho widely linked for a return to the club, the future looks bright. The current Real Madrid Coach is tipped to be the best in the world. As Lampard suggested, “insists the current Real Madrid manager would reintroduce the ‘battering ram’ mentality of the Chelsea side which won two Premier League titles under his stewardship.
‘When we won the title under Jose we were criticised for the fact we were so dogged but we certainly need to get some of that mentality back in our game,’ said the 34-year-old midfielder.”
The club is set to be attraction for big names in transfers as it has qualified for UEFA Champions league and is set to Play Super league Final against the winner of UEFA Champion’s League later this year.
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