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
