Chelsea vs. Dynamo Kiev: Winners and Losers from Champions League Game
Chelsea used a late free-kick goal from Willian to power past Dynamo Kiev at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League.
Willian broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute after Aleksandar Dragovic made up for his first-half own goal with a brilliant strike off a corner in the 78th minute.
The victory helped the Blues separate themselves from the Ukrainian side in the Group G standings as they sit two points ahead of Dynamo Kiev in second place. First-place Porto leads Chelsea by three points.
Wednesday's home win also eased the tension surrounding the club heading into their weekend clash with Stoke City in the Premier League.
Here's a look at our winners and losers from the Chelsea's second Champions League win of the season.
Winner: Willian
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The mood at Stamford Bridge went from nervy to celebratory once Willian's free-kick struck the back of the net in the 83rd minute.
The Brazilian, who has been spectacular on set pieces this season, caused trouble with his delivery from the wings, corners and free-kicks throughout the contest in west London.
With his winning strike, Willian tied Cristiano Ronaldo for most goals off a direct free-kick in a single Champions League season, per Infostrada Sports. Ronaldo achieved his feat during the 2009-10 campaign.
Not only was Willian's game-winning goal important in regards to the player's individual form, it also handed the Blues a massive boost after yet another week full of speculation about the atmosphere behind the scenes and Jose Mourinho's job status.
Winner/Loser: Aleksandar Dragovic
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Aleksandar Dragovic experienced a major swing in emotion in the 78th minute after he leveled the match with a strike from the left side of the box.
The goal made up for the defender's mistake in the 34th minute, when he headed Willian's cross into his own net.
Although his team eventually ended up on the losing end of the contest, Dragovic's equalizer did send an all too familiar feeling of disappointment into the Chelsea faithful for a few minutes.
By being able to play well against a continental power like Chelsea on the road, Dragovic and the rest of the Dynamo Kiev squad handed themselves a good amount of confidence heading into the vital Matchday 5 clash at home with group leaders Porto.
A loss would eliminate the Ukrainian side from knockout-round contention if Chelsea win their match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, but a win would continue their qualification quest.
Winner: Oscar
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Oscar was one of the creative forces in the Chelsea attack during his 79-minute shift on the pitch.
In his time on the field, the Brazilian attempted three shots and dished out four key passes, per WhoScored, as the Blues looked to break down the Dynamo Kiev back line.
Although Willian will steal most of the headlines—and deservedly so—for his flashy performance, Oscar should receive plaudits for his showing as well as he kept the Dynamo Kiev back four busy for most of the game.
With Eden Hazard still struggling to find his form, the Blues need a second creative player to step up alongside Willian, and Oscar proved on Wednesday he is more than capable of filling that void.
Loser: Kurt Zouma
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Before the two teams exchanged goals late in the second half, Kurt Zouma had a chance to finish off the contest with a chance in front of the net.
Instead, the defender sent his close-range effort in the 61st minute wide to the right of the Dynamo Kiev goal. Before Willian's free-kick strike, that was the best chance Chelsea had to clinch three points on Wednesday night.
Zouma also displayed some vulnerability at the back when Dynamo Kiev attempted to counter. At the start of the second half, Artem Kravets blew past the young center-back before he recovered right at the end of the move.
Although the 49th-minute surge forward by Kravets marked the only time Zouma was put under real duress, he should've been able to snuff out the attack earlier instead of letting the forward race into the box.
If Group G comes down to Matchday 6, it is certain Zouma will be put under more pressure by the Porto attack. How he deals with the incoming Porto attackers in a few weeks may be one of the key factors that determines Chelsea's final position in the group.
Winner: Jose Mourinho
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Jose Mourinho can breathe easy for now as his team sit in second place in Group G and appear to have a solid amount of momentum behind them heading into the trip to Stoke City on Saturday.
Mourinho didn't have the best game as a manager, but his squad came out on top—right now, that's really all that matters to the under-pressure boss.
Chelsea's win on Wednesday was the first for the club since the October 17 home victory over Aston Villa. With a fourth consecutive defeat staring him in the face, Mourinho responded with a strong lineup that eventually got the job done.
However, if you want to criticize the Chelsea boss for anything from Wednesday's match, it must be his substitution strategy. Mourinho waited until after the Dynamo Kiev equalizer to bring on Eden Hazard and Pedro. With the game in the balance, he should have brought one or both of the attackers on earlier to kill the game off.
If he can somehow get something out of Hazard on Saturday at the Britannia Stadium along with a win, Mourinho's critics should start to go away for the time being.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
