“This is the right moment to understand where we are,” Antonio Conte had said on the eve of this game, and the answer he got delighted him. Time was up, the clock heading past 93 minutes, when Chelsea produced a wonderful move to clinch a dramatic, and deserved, victory over Atlético Madrid with the last kick of the game.
At the end Conte saluted fans high in the north stand, his fists clenched. Up in the directors’ box behind him, Diego Costa watched on and sighed. His former team had beaten his new one, becoming the first away side to win at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Conte might have reflected that it should not have taken so long to find a way through, but they got there in the end and when the goal came it was gorgeous. Marcos Alonso, N’Golo Kanté, Tiémoué Bakayoko, and Alonso again made it, the passing crisp and first time in and around the Atlético area until the goal was at their mercy. The man who finally slipped in the knife was Michy Batshuayi. He had come on a few minutes earlier, with Willian. The change had been a surprise yet, ultimately, the victory was not. The winner came from Chelsea’s 18th shot.
Chelsea are top of their group but more importantly, they impressed against a side who have reached two finals in four years. There will be optimism about a first start together for Eden Hazard and Álvaro Morata, who look like forming a promising partnership and who combined to make the equaliser on the hour after Chelsea had fallen behind to an Antoine Griezmann penalty just before half-time. And then, right at the end, Chelsea got the winner. If this is a process, as Conte said, it is progressing.
That the winner came without Hazard and Morata on the pitch speaks to a certain strength in depth and the manager’s reading of the game. If it may speak too of good fortune, the way it came had little to do with fortune; this was football. Not just in this move, but throughout. Kanté played on the front foot. Victor Moses ran at Filipe Luís. And César Azpilicueta sought Alonso on the other side. Then there was Morata and especially Hazard, occupying the space between Atlético’s back four and their midfield four.
Not just occupying that space; enjoying it. This was only Hazard’s second start of the season and the enthusiasm was clear. Quick, willing to run, free, his feet fast, he was superb. Morata also impressed, receiving back to goal, opening the pitch out or running beyond defenders. The chances were Chelsea’s, most of the control was too. Morata, Hazard and Morata again all had efforts inside seven minutes. By the 25th minute the shot count read 1-6. The last of those saw Morata’s header tipped over. A moment later, Kanté found Hazard, who snatched at his effort.
Atlético were under pressure but they did emerge to create an opportunity on the right, Gary Cahill alert to Griezmann’s run. Then, with two sharp, incisive passes Atlético found their way through, the pitch opening before them and leading them to the opening goal.
Filipe Luís found Saúl Ñíguez who found Yannick Carrasco and he exchanged passes with Ángel Correa. The shot was blocked for a corner, which Koke curled towards the near post. As Thibaut Courtois scrambled to push it away, Lucas Hernández tumbled. Most here had not seen what happened but the referee had. David Luiz had grabbed imprudently at Hernández’s shirt. From the spot, Griezmann gave Atlético the lead.
This was what Conte had warned them of before the match, but Chelsea could barely believe it – and they were relieved to avoid a swift second two minutes later when Koke’s shot was saved by Courtois and Saúl followed up but shot wide.
Chelsea would not be denied, though, and the manner of the equaliser was fitting: Hazard made it with a neat inswinging ball and Morata, who was in Atlético’s system until the age of 15 and was whistled for his Real Madrid past, headed past Jan Oblak. Off he set to the touchline where he embraced Conte and team-mates piled on. They deserved the goal and should have added to it when Morata and Hazard scrambled the ball into the path of Cesc Fàbregas. Stretching, from six yards, he skewed wide. Hazard lifted Fàbregas from the turf, head in his hands.
There were more laments but they did not last for ever. Hazard set Morata away from deep inside his half. He and Hernández raced, side by side. The Chelsea striker held Hernández off and reached the area first, nudging the ball past Oblak – and just past a post.
With eight minutes remaining and perhaps an eye on Manchester City on Saturday, Conte removed the men who had most damaged Atlético. Hazard departed and so did Morata, whistled as he went. Their work here was done. Willian and Batshuayi came on with work still to do.
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