Chelsea 2-2 Juventus: Champions League Holders Held to Draw at Stamford Bridge
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Chelsea 2-2 Juventus (full time)
Live Champions League commentary
Scorers:
Oscar (CHE) 31', Oscar (CHE) 33', Arturo Vidal (JUV) 37', Fabio Quagliarella (JUV) 80'
Lineups:
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Ramires (Bertrand), Hazard, Oscar (Mata), Torres.
Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner (Isla), Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah, Giovinco (Quagliarella), Vucinic (Matri).
That's it from the live text tonight; just time to quickly tell you that in the other match in this group, Shakhtar Donetsk beat Nordsjaelland 2-0 in Ukraine.
Thanks for joining me for the game and I'll see you all again soon for more live commentary here on Bleacher Report!
Well it's not the winning start to life as defending champions that Chelsea would have been hoping for, but they have drawn 2-2 against a strong Juventus side, certainly the toughest home match that they will have to play in the group stage.
Two first half goals from Oscar—the second a real beauty—had looked to set the blues on their way, but Arturo Vidal pulled one back for Juve almost straight afterwards.
A late Fabio Quagliarella goal earned a point for the Italians, who were on the back foot for large spells of the game.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Full time at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea 2 Juventus 2
90+2'—Juventus have certainly settled for the draw here, and perhaps understandably so after they had to come from two goals behind tonight. They have eight behind the ball almost constantly now, and Chelsea are struggling to find a way though. Fernando Torres has been pretty much anonymous in this second half.
90'—Chelsea it is who have possession over the past few minutes, trying to build a dangerous attack down first one flank and then the other. Plenty forward for the Blues too; clearly they want at least another chance to claim all three points. Ivanovic goes down under a challenge but no free kick is given. He doesn't look amused.
Three minutes added time to be played at Stamford Bridge.
We're into those now.
Juventus sub: Mirko Vucinic off, Alessandro Matri on.
86'—OFF THE BAR!!!! Quagliarella again is at it, flicking it around the corner and then, left-footed, lofting a deft effort which just hits the crossbar on its way over.
Juventus have hit two shots on target tonight—they've both gone in.
85'—Five minutes to go at Stamford Bridge. Have either side got it in them to go for the three points, or will they settle for one on the first group stage match? It's all a bit scrappy in the middle of the pitch for a moment, until...
Wouldn't you know it? Just after Mata misses a good chance at one end, Juventus get forward, Mikel gives the ball away and after the through ball finds Quagliarella in the penalty area, he calmly and expertly threads the ball through Cech's legs. 2-2, and Juventus very much in the ascendency going into the final 10 minutes.
GOOOOAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!
Chelsea 2 Juventus 2
Fabio Quagliarella, 80 mins
78'—CHANCE TO FINISH IT! Juan Mata has the chance, drifting into the box and combining with Hazard, but his shot flashes wide of the near post. He'll hope Chelsea don't rue that miss tonight.
Chelsea sub: Juan Mata for Oscar
Juventus sub: Stephan Lichtsteiner off, Mauricio Isla on.
Clive Rose/Getty Images
74'—Bertrand gets his first chance to stretch the Juventus defence down the left now, travelling 30 metres with the ball before cutting back inside to retain possession. That's exactly what Chelsea need now.
71'—A little under 20 minutes left at Stamford Bridge now. Juventus starting to step things up a little as they look for an equaliser. Giovinco sweeps another looping shot towards Cech's top corner, but clears the frame of the goal.
Chelsea sub: Oscar is getting some treatment but it's Ramires who goes off, Ryan Bertrand who comes on.
68'—How about this for a close stat in terms of passes completed? Chelsea 246-249 Juventus. That's from SkySports. Torres goes down again on the edge of the penalty area looking for a foul, but again the referee tells him to get on with things.
64'—The Juve fans are certainly making a lot of noise tonight, trying to encourage their team to find a second goal. Arturo Vidal has pulled back Oscar here in midfield and is yellow carded after play stops.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
62'—DECENT EFFORT! Giovinco brings the ball under his spell and cuts infield, a la Cristiano Ronaldo yesterday for Real Madrid, before bending an effort towards the far corner which needs to be headed behind for a corner. Chelsea survive again.
60'—Chelsea looking comfortable enough on the ball at the moment but they need to remain firm in defence more than anything. Juventus certainly have the firepower to trouble them at the back without much notice.
57'—Hazard makes a driving run into the box before he goes tumbling under the challenge from Barzagli, but the referee isn't interested in his claims for a penalty. Moments later, Luiz is penalised for a late foul. Free kick to Juventus, decent position to swing over a dangerous cross from the left.
55'—Ramires has taken a knock, but seems alright after a brief moment to regain his composure. Juve looking much stronger at the back in this second half.
52'—A bright start to the second half; Juventus are going to have to commit men forward as this half goes on to try and pick up at least a point. Are the resulting spaces going to be picked off by Torres and Hazard?
The second half is underway, Chelsea are 45 minutes from picking up a very good three points in the Champions League.
Let's take our usual half time look at what the world wide web has been saying about the game:
Great half. 2 goals for Oscar but then Chelsea stuttered and Vidal s'soon after pulled one back
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 19, 2012
6 - Oscar is the 6th Brazilian to score twice on his debut in the Champions League. #Chelsea #CFC
— Chelsea Statto (@ChelseaStatto) September 19, 2012
2 - Óscar is the second player to score on his Chelsea Champions League debut, after Aleksey Smertin. Baptism
— Opta(@OptaJoe) September 19, 2012
What a goal!! The boy deserves as Oscar....had to be done. Chelsea 2-0 Juventus. Both goals from Oscar on his first start for Chelsea
— Hayley McQueen (@HayleyMcQueen) September 19, 2012
What is the duplicate article?
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