Sports

Chelsea and Barca draw 1-1

Bayern romp home 5-0 against Besiktas

February 21, 2018
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (L) celebrates with Andres Iniesta after scoring their equalizer during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Stadium in London Tuesday. — AFP
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (L) celebrates with Andres Iniesta after scoring their equalizer during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Stadium in London Tuesday. — AFP

LONDON — If at first you don’t succeed the saying goes and it proved fitting for Willian and Lionel Messi as both scored in an absorbing 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie Tuesday.

Chelsea’s outstanding performer Willian could hardly believe his bad luck as twice before halftime he rattled the woodwork.

But the Brazilian was finally rewarded for his persistence in the 62nd minute when he fired Chelsea into the lead on an electrifying night at Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona’s talisman Messi had fired blanks on eight previous occasions against Chelsea, most notably in a shock semifinal defeat six years ago, and he rarely had a glimpse of goal on his ninth meeting with the Londoners.

When home defender Andreas Christensen suffered a rush of blood in the 75th minute, however, Messi pounced.

It edged the tie toward Barcelona, although it could count itself fortunate after being out-maneuvered against a Chelsea side who, apart from one lapse, played a ‘perfect’ game according to manager Antonio Conte.

Despite spending long periods diligently shutting doors, the hosts were the more clinical in possession, with Eden Hazard and Willian both menacing outlets.

Conte resembled a manic orchestra conductor throughout the match, going through his full repertoire of gesticulations.

In Munich, Bayern Munich, helped by two typical Thomas Mueller goals and two from Robert Lewandowski, romped to a 5-0 home win over Besiktas in their Champions League tie after the Turkish champions played nearly the whole match with 10 men.

Besiktas defender Domagoj Vida was given a straight red card for tripping Lewandowski outside the penalty area in the 16th minute, the defining moment in the round of 16, first leg tie.

Mueller, inelegant yet always effective, broke the deadlock with a miskick two minutes before halftime to break Besiktas’s resistance.

Kingsley Coman and Mueller added two more before Lewandowski helped himself to a late brace, virtually assuring the Bavarians of a seventh successive quarterfinal appearance.

Besiktas won all three away games in the group stage and came with the clear intention of attacking Bayern but its plans were torpedoed by Vida’s red card. — Reuters


February 21, 2018
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