Maribor vs. Chelsea: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game
Chelsea drew with Maribor 1-1 in Slovenia after Nemanja Matic scored an equalizer off a corner in the 73rd minute on Wednesday.
Matic's goal came 23 minutes after Agim Ibraimi scored on a terrific strike to put the hosts in line for an improbable result.
Both sides had a golden chance to score again, but Luka Zahovic and Eden Hazard were unable to convert on their opportunities.
Here's a look at the lessons we learned from the Group G draw in Slovenia.
Jose Mourinho Did the Right Thing at the Half
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After a rough first half, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho opted to bring on Oscar and Diego Costa for Willian and Andre Schurrle.
Willian and Schurrle were not effective up front in the first 45 minutes, and instead of leaving them out on the pitch, Mourinho switched them out before things got worse.
Oscar did have a few shining moments in attack, which was more than Willian and Schurrle had combined, but Costa could not make a lasting impact on the match. Despite two shots on target, the Brazilian was unable to find the back of the net.
Although Oscar and Costa did not score in the match, they shifted the pace of it, which is exactly what Mourinho was looking for out of them.
There Was Nothing Chelsea Could Do About Agim Ibraimi's Goal
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When Agim Ibraimi struck his shot from the right side of the box in the 50th minute, all the Chelsea defenders could do was watch it go in.
The only Chelsea player anywhere close to the ball before it was shot was Filipe Luis, but he could not come off his mark in time to get in front of the shot. Even the long arms of goalkeeper Petr Cech proved to be no match for the perfectly placed shot.
All credit must be given to Ibraimi for his efforts, which at the time presented the Slovenian champions with a miraculous one-goal advantage.
Luka Zahovic's Miss Will Loom Large over Maribor
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With his side up by a goal, 18-year-old Luka Zahovic had a golden opportunity to put Maribor ahead by two in the 60th minute.
Instead of scoring, Zahovic channeled his inner Fernando Torres and sent his shot high over an open goal. Thirteen minutes after Zahovic almost became the hero, Nemanja Matic netted the equalizer for Chelsea.
While Zahovic’s miss may not affect Maribor’s chances of qualifying out of Group G, it did ruin an opportunity to earn a memorable win at home over the English side.
Poor Marking Let Nemanja Matic Slip in to Score
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On Matic's 73rd-minute strike, the Maribor defense did not mark at the far post. Matic took advantage of the open space and tapped in a John Terry header.
Right before the corner kick was taken, Maribor boss Ante Simundza opted to bring on Jean-Philippe Mendy in favor of Zahovic.
By violating the unwritten rule of never substituting before a set piece, Simundza and his side were taken advantage of.
The decision to take off the young Zahovic may have been the right call, but the timing of it mixed up the defensive marks, which ultimately cost the Slovenian side.
Eden Hazard's Poor Penalty Overshadowed His Solid Match
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Eden Hazard did not have a bad match for Chelsea, but it will be categorized as such due to his miss from the spot in the 86th minute.
The Belgian winger led the Blues with four shots on target and six key passes, and he created the penalty with his skill. Had Hazard not turned in a brilliant match, Chelsea might not be leaving Slovenia with a point.
Unfortunately for the Belgian, his penalty miss will overshadow his strong day on the pitch in Slovenia.
Since Hazard played such a key role throughout the match, one has to think that fatigue played a small role in his poor penalty, which barely challenged Maribor 'keeper Jasmin Handanovic.
Chelsea Still Control Their Own Destiny in Group G
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Once the group stage ends, we will look back on this result as a minor slip-up on Chelsea's path to the knockout round.
With two matches to go in Group G, the Blues still sit three points ahead of Schalke, who fell 4-2 on the road to Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.
The next match on the Champions League docket for Chelsea is in Gelsenkirchen, where they could earn advancement to the final 16 with a win.
If, for some reason, Mourinho's men do not win in Germany, they will face Sporting Lisbon at home on Matchday 6.
With two golden opportunities ahead to clinch advancement, we should not be too concerned about Chelsea's fate in the Champions League.
All statistics obtained from WhoScored.com.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
