CHELSEA 2-1 PORTO
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, 2ND LEG: CHELSEA 2 PORTO 1 CHELSEA WIN 3-2 ON AGGREGATE FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE
BALLACK FINALLY COMES GOOD TO KEEP QUADRUPLE DREAM ALIVE
Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer 07/03/2007
JOSE MOURINHO has spent the past week moaning about the lucky breaks Manchester United have been getting.
But at Stamford Bridge last night the Chelsea boss was bailed out by the sort of outrageous fortune that makes you start to believe it is his destiny to end his Blues career in Athens in May.
All season, even when Michael Ballack has admitted he is playing woefully, Mourinho has kept faith with the German.
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Yet just as Ballack's entire campaign of underachievement and £130,000 per-week complacency appeared set to be summed up in the space of 90 minutes, it was the German who sent Mourinho's men through to the last eight of the Champions League, and ensured Roman Abramovich will have to wait before signing that inevitable execution warrant for the boss.
Ballack had spent most of the match in his own little dream world, wandering around aimlessly, mocked by home fans.
Indeed, Mourinho alone will know how the German stayed on the pitch at half-time, with Claude Makelele sacrificed as John Obi Mikel injected high octane fuel into a midfield seemingly powered from the Tesco forecourt.
Mid-way through the second half, as Ballack took advantage of a break in play to slip down the tunnel, one home supporter stood to shout at Mourinho: "Leave him in there - and lock the door".
But after a howler by Porto keeper Helton gifted Arjen Robben and Mourinho's men a lifeline back into the tie, it was Ballack who popped up with the sort of goal he was signed to score. Mikel's persistence 11 minutes from time won back the ball and as he swept wide to Ashley Cole on the left, Ballack stirred from his lethargy to make his move.
Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko combined with a bout of head tennis and as the ball dropped near the penalty spot, there was Ballack to pounce, swivel and thunder home with a left-footed volley.
Stamford Bridge erupted, more in surprise than joy perhaps, aware that this was a night in which they could have seen their Quadruple dream crumble and die.
Chelsea's failure to heed the lessons of the first leg, when it was only the introduction of Mikel that shackled Ricardo Quaresma, could so easily have proved fatal.
It certainly looked that way when Makelele lost a tackle in midfield and Argentine Lucho Gonzalez sent the flying Quaresma streaking clear of Ricardo Carvalho to plant under the exposed Petr Cech and into the middle of the vacant net.
Chelsea struggled to create clearcut openings. Drogba was thwarted by defender Bruno Alves after one penetrating Cole run and cross and when Ballack swung his right foot only to make contact with fresh air, the groans reflected the mood of simmering discontent.
Yet when the half ended with an outrageous Robben dive in the vicinity of defender Fucile that rightly saw the Dutch winger booked for cheating, the poverty of Chelsea's display was impossible to ignore.
Mourinho shot down the tunnel early, determined to give his side both barrels at half time.
Yet it was a Porto player who made the crucial contribution after the break. Receiving from Lassana Diarra, Robben had time to line up his left-footer from 22 yards, only to scuff the effort.
Helton could have walked across and picked it up yet incredibly managed to dive so badly to his left that he sent the ball spinning over his right shoulder and into the net.
Suddenly the night was very different as Porto deflated like a balloon. It still looked like it would go to extra-time.
Ballack, though, had other ideas, his act of redemption one that may look even more pivotal over the next three months. Mourinho and his men live to fight another day.
As Fergie might tell him, you make your own luck. The trick is to take full advantage. Chelsea now have the chance to do that.
CHELSEA: Cech, Diarra (Ferreira 65), Essien, Carvalho, A Cole, Makelele (Mikel 46), Robben, Ballack, Lampard, Shevchenko (Kalou 84), Drogba.
FC PORTO: Helton, Fucile, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Cech (Ibson 55), Gonzalez, Ricardo Costa, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (Adriano 55), Lopez (Bruno Moraes 82), Quaresma.
57% POSSESSION 43%
2 SHOTS ON TARGET 3
11 SHOTS OFF TARGET 0
1 OFFSIDES 4
5 CORNERS 0
17 FOULS 16
2 YELLOW CARDS 3
0 RED CARDS 0
ATTENDANCE: 39,041
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mikel -
Don't you just love the way British reports the truth...
especially ->
Yet when the half ended with an outrageous Robben dive in the vicinity of defender Fucile that rightly saw the Dutch winger booked for cheating, the poverty of Chelsea's display was impossible to ignore. -
If moderators feel this is flaming, please close it.
Just feel the need to highlight that other than tribalfootball, there are real sources that reports the truth. -
Originally posted by iceFatboy:
as if ronaldo never dive is just that he never get caught
Don't you just love the way British reports the truth...
especially ->
[b]Yet when the half ended with an outrageous Robben dive in the vicinity of defender Fucile that rightly saw the Dutch winger booked for cheating, the poverty of Chelsea's display was impossible to ignore.
[/b]
just in case you did not knew giggs dive in one of the UCL match during the qualifying stage too and got a penalty
ronaldo the serial diver dive lots of times and got penalties
and robben got booked by the ref and did not get the penalty
is just that united player are better @ diving and playacting than robben so they get their penalties
so who is worse ? -
On top of it, lets not forget that MU cheated in their CL match wif Lille. The Ref must hv been bought over to rule as a fair goal. Cos anyone can see they cheated BIG TIME! and got away wif it!
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this place is so funny everyone of so defensive -
oie you how old already?Originally posted by fucmusppl:On top of it, lets not forget that MU cheated in their CL match wif Lille. The Ref must hv been bought over to rule as a fair goal. Cos anyone can see they cheated BIG TIME! and got away wif it!
UEFA already say nothing is wrong, u still kpkb wad? -
i will leave it. don't need to get defensive..zzzzz...
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Then U how old? 3 years old? Everyone in the world saying what i'm saying.Originally posted by scorchio:oie you how old already?
UEFA already say nothing is wrong, u still kpkb wad?
I'm just stating the obvious, like how MU cheated 2 get where they r now.
Why U ge so defensive? -
ya ya ya... u kp manu players diving. n u cun tan han others kp chelsea player diving. both r equally bad but u r worst.Originally posted by ghimpheng:as if ronaldo never dive is just that he never get caught
just in case you did not knew giggs dive in one of the UCL match during the qualifying stage too and got a penalty
ronaldo the serial diver dive lots of times and got penalties
and robben got booked by the ref and did not get the penalty
is just that united player are better @ diving and playacting than robben so they get their penalties
so who is worse ? -
Moderators, please close.Originally posted by ghimpheng:as if ronaldo never dive is just that he never get caught
just in case you did not knew giggs dive in one of the UCL match during the qualifying stage too and got a penalty
ronaldo the serial diver dive lots of times and got penalties
and robben got booked by the ref and did not get the penalty
is just that united player are better @ diving and playacting than robben so they get their penalties
so who is worse ?
I shall not promote any more "Cheating and Diving" threads.
I think it is polluting the entire sports forum. -
HAHA! The thief who denied he has stole. What an idiot!Originally posted by ghimpheng:as if ronaldo never dive is just that he never get caught
just in case you did not knew giggs dive in one of the UCL match during the qualifying stage too and got a penalty
ronaldo the serial diver dive lots of times and got penalties
and robben got booked by the ref and did not get the penalty
is just that united player are better @ diving and playacting than robben so they get their penalties
so who is worse ? -
Chelsea's lucky. 
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you already did in this thread just that the title And your main motive is DifferentOriginally posted by iceFatboy:Moderators, please close.
I shall not promote any more "Cheating and Diving" threads.
I think it is polluting the entire sports forum. -
Originally posted by fucmusppl:On top of it, lets not forget that MU cheated in their CL match wif Lille. The Ref must hv been bought over to rule as a fair goal. Cos anyone can see they cheated BIG TIME! and got away wif it!
u sure EVERYONE in the world saying that man u cheated?Originally posted by fucmusppl:Then U how old? 3 years old? Everyone in the world saying what i'm saying.
I'm just stating the obvious, like how MU cheated 2 get where they r now.
Why U ge so defensive?
i for one, didn't say that.
damn, even a 3 year old kid can pwn u? -
did you even watch the match b4 commenting ?Originally posted by Parka: Chelsea's lucky.
Chelsea totally dominated the 2nd half and bombard porto attack after attack
it is not surprising to see chelsea winning this match
porto was better than what i tot