Thibaut Courtois was the hero in
Charlotte, scoring the winning penalty and saving two of PSG’s in the shoot-out
following an exciting 1-1 draw in normal time.
The goalkeeper kept out spot-kicks
from Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Thiago Silva before blasting the 14th and
final penalty into the top corner, handing the English Champions the victory
against the French champions.
In normal time it was Victor Moses
who cancelled out Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s opener. The Swede fired home a rebound
midway through a first half mostly dominated by the Parisians.
Moses celebrates his goal
Chelsea were much improved after the
break and deservedly levelled when Cesc Fabregas expertly picked out a fine
Moses run, whose subsequent close-range volley was crisp and clinical. Falcao
then came on for his first appearance in a Chelsea shirt and impressed. He was
also one of six Chelsea players to score their penalty having stepped up first.
The starting line-up included the
back four that began so many games together last season, and behind them, as
Jose Mourinho had promised, was Begovic. Cesar Azpilicueta completed 90 minutes
for the second game running. As in New Jersey, Moses began out wide, while
there were first starts of the summer for Nemanja Matic, Eden Hazard and Diego
Costa.
PSG’s team had plenty of familiar
faces, none more so than David Luiz. Ibrahimovic captained.
PSG had two penalty appeals waved
away in 30 seconds after Cesar Azpilicueta became the game’s first booking, and
with the Blues seemingly still rattled at the back Verratti ghosted in unmarked
but scooped an impudent effort wide.
The French side’s good period
continued when Augustin stole a march on Ivanovic behind our defence. There he
went eye to eye with Begovic, who had shown another important goalkeeping
attribute by racing off his line alert to the danger. The Bosnian’s big frame
blocked the shot.
He had one more bit of work to do
before the interval, stretching low to his left to divert a Moura daisy cutter
wide of the post.
Three fresh Chelsea faces came out
for the second half, and one, Begovic’s replacement Courtois, was immediately
in the action, gathering a shot from PSG sub Thiago Motta at the second
attempt. Kurt Zouma and Ramires were the other newcomers.
The occasionally fractious nature of
the game continued when Adrien Rabiot and Aurier went into the book for bad
tackles on Hazard and Diego Costa respectively. The striker pounced on a loose
Paris pass and picked out Fabregas whose shot was blocked; Moses following up
fired wide.
Those same two players linked up to
perfection moments later, however. It was Fabregas with the cross, perfectly
weighted, and Moses with the movement and confident first-time volleyed finish
that brought the equaliser. The winger’s celebration was as spectacular as the
link-up play that preceded it!
Five minutes later the Chelsea
supporters in the Bank of America Stadium had reason to roar almost as loudly
as they did for the goal when Falcao was introduced.
The Colombian was immediately
involved, impressively winning possession back and finding fellow sub Loic
Remy. His shot was low and hard and needed saving. Not long after, with Chelsea
now well on top and looking dangerous with every attack, Falcao had an effort
of his own blocked. The chance was created thanks to his good movement in the
box.
Two other South Americans introduced
by Mourinho then linked up to good effect as Oscar from deep picked out Juan
Cuadrado’s penetrative run. He opted not to shoot having raced clear and the
opportunity passed.
Penalties loomed. The closest either
side came to preventing them was in stoppage time when PSG’s Christopher Nkunku
stung Courtois’ palms with a long-ranger. But penalties it was.
Falcao and Azpilicueta got Chelsea
up and running confidently but with PSG scoring their first three spot-kicks
Cuadrado’s subsequent miss could have proved decisive.
Instead Courtois denied Bahebeck and
so on the shoot-out went. Five more penalties – including Remy, Oscar and
Willian for Chelsea – were scored, before Courtois seized the initiative. First
he kept out Thiago Silva’s effort with ease, then smashed his own shot into the
roof of the net, as though taking a goal-kick. It was an emphatic end to an
enjoyable encounter.
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