Dynamo Kiev vs. Chelsea: Score and Reaction from 2015 Champions League Match

Chelsea and Dynamo Kiev played to a 0-0 draw Tuesday in their Champions League Group G match at NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Ukraine.

The clubs combined for 22 attempts on goal (12 for the Blues and 10 for the Bilo-Syni), but neither side could find the net on a misty evening in the Ukrainian capital. Dynamo won the possession battle at 56 percent, per UEFA.com, in what was a pretty even match throughout.

The result leaves Porto atop the group table with seven points followed by Dynamo with five and Chelsea with four. Maccabi Tel Aviv are pointless. Each side has three matches remaining in the group stage.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho downplayed the idea of placing a greater emphasis on Europe's top club competition before the match despite his side's lackluster results in the Premier League so far. He highlighted the risk of going all-in on the UCL, per Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Independent.

"When you prioritize in this league you have a big risk, which is the risk of not winning the Champions League and [not] finishing top four, and not playing Champions League the next season," Mourinho said. "So we cannot prioritize in this league. We have to go all the way and make sure we finish top four."

The Blues currently sit 12th in the English league table due to a combination of defensive woes and injury issues. The latter continued to make an impact against Dynamo as the side played the away fixture without Pedro, Loic Remy, Branislav Ivanovic and Thibaut Courtois.

As Mourinho rotates the lineup to account for unavailable players while also trying to light a spark that could get the campaign back on track, the lack of uniformity remains obvious.

The first half showcased a nice tempo from both sides as they took turns pushing forward looking to break the deadlock. Charlie Skillen of the Daily Mail felt it was actually one of the Blues' better 45-minute stints in a while:

Alas, aside from a Eden Hazard strike that hit the post, Chelsea struggled to turn that possession into dangerous opportunities.

They still had one missing piece each time in the attacking third, whether it was the delivery or the final touch. A penalty appeal after a borderline tackle on Cesc Fabregas in the box was also waved away by the referee.

Dan Levene of Get West London further discussed the lack of a finish after a scoreless half:

The pace slowed in the second half as both sides became more cognizant of the damage a loss would cause in the battle to escape the group. Fewer players jumped into the attack, fearing the counterattack opening it could leave going the other way.

By the 75th minute, it became clear the match was likely heading for a draw barring something special from a set piece. That never materialized and each club collected a point.

Jack Rathborn of Football Radar highlighted a night of progress but also frustration for Chelsea:

Chelsea HQ summed up what the draw means moving forward:

Looking ahead, Chelsea must continue to focus on finding the missing element of consistency that made them so tough to play last season. They garnered a lot of heat when they would score a couple early goals and "park the bus," but it was their chemistry that made that possible.

The Blues will look to jump-start their Premier League campaign against West Ham United on Saturday. It continues a busy period that features seven matches in 22 days. The stretch also includes their next Champions League fixture, a rematch with the Bilo-Syni at home, on Nov. 4.

Up next for Dynamo Kiev is a Ukrainian Cup clash with Obolon-Brovar Kiev next Tuesday. They then continue their effort to repeat as Ukrainian Premier League champions on Oct. 31 against Metalist Kharkiv before taking on Chelsea again.

Post-Match Reaction

Mourinho admitted after the match that being concerned about the loss caused a more tentative approach after the halftime break, per Chelsea FC:

The club also highlighted the boss' comments about the club's progress:

Ultimately, there are definitely signs that the Blues are finally starting to come out of their early-season malaise. They aren't all the way back to where they need to be, however, and that puts pressure on Mourinho to fully remedy the issues before it's too late.