Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Roles were reversed in this UEFA Champions League match as Chelsea were in their yellow shirts instead of the traditional blue, but the club would be looking to gain all three points, regardless of shirt color against NK Maribor. Filipe Luis would be handed another start at left back, while Didier Drogba would lead the line to begin the game. We would also see starting XI appearances from Petr Cech and Kurt Zouma.
It would indeed be Drogba who came so close to scoring the games first goal. His close-range header glanced off the post and out of play.
Drogba again looked in the mood in the 15th minute. The Chelsea legend took a touch at the top of the box to open up space, and fired a shot, only to see it blocked by a Maribor defender. Still the goalkeeper was forced into a diving save.
While Chelsea were certainly seen as the more talented team, Maribor weren’t going down without a fight at their home stadium. They earned numerous attacking set pieces, and got a couple of shots on target to keep Cech on his toes.
Just before halftime Eden Hazard tried to get his name on the scoresheet with a strike after he cut inside to his right foot and aimed for the top corner, Jasmin Handanovic was equal to the task though, and kept the game scoreless. That’s how it would be going into the break, as neither team could convert their chances.
After the break, Chelsea made two changes. Diego Costa came on for Andre Schurrle, adding more firepower up front to the attack. We also saw a Brazilian swap, as Oscar came on for Willian.
The home team would open the scoring, after a great strike from Agim Ibraimi. The number 10 took advantage of the space given to him on the right hand side, and beat Cech far post. The fans enhanced the atmosphere following the goal, and Chelsea would have to work hard to find an equalizer.
Following their goal, Maribor set up in a defensive shape, and would try to repel any Chelsea threat. They did well in the immediate aftermath to keep composure and not letting the blues peg one back quickly.
Chelsea would get their goal back in the 73rd minute through Nemanja Matic. After John Terry nodded a header down from a corner, Matic came to the far post unmarked for a tap in. With plenty of time still remaining in the game, it would be interesting from this point to see who could gain the upper hand.
Chelsea fans thought they had taken the lead late on after Diego Costa scored from close range, but Cesc Fabregas, the provider, was deemed offside by the linesman.
Again Chelsea fans were left disappointed, after Hazard couldn’t convert his penalty. He earned the penalty by making a defense splitting run into the box, and was brought down by Mitja Viler. The official saw it as a penalty, but the Belgian was sent away by Handanovic.
The game would end tied at 1-1, and while a point was not ideal, Chelsea did avoid disaster. The fans will surely be disappointed after Hazard failed on the penalty kick, but after Schalke losing, the blues will remain top of the group heading into the next match day.