Chelsea defeats Salzburg and ensures a spot in the Champions League championship game.
Salzburg – Chelsea FC – Played on 10/25/2022
Tuesday night in Group E, Chelsea defeated Red Bull Salzburg (2-1) to advance to
the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Chelsea’s two goals came from Mateo Kovacic
and Kai Havertz, respectively, in the 23rd and 64th minutes. Salzburg’s goal came from
Junior Adamo (48). Chelsea increased its lead in the group to 10 points, while Salzburg’s
standing remained unchanged at 6 points, ahead of their matches against Milan and
Dinamo Zagreb later on Tuesday night. When Bernardo missed Jorginho’s long ball in the
second minute, Chelsea had an early opportunity to catch Havertz, but goalkeeper Cohen
intercepted it before he could.
Salzburg didn’t answer to Chelsea until the 15th minute, when Sucic advanced to the edge of
the penalty area and missed the goal after exploiting a weakness in Chelsea’s defense.
The ball escaped from Haveritz in the 23rd minute and found its way to Croatian striker
Kovacic, who scored Chelsea’s first goal with a one-touch shot.
When Gallagher took a corner kick, Silva followed with his head, the goalie blocked Silva’s
attempt, and the ball rebounded to Haveritz, whose attempt drifted away from the goal,
Chelsea nearly extended their advantage with a second goal in the 26th minute.
The Austrian team’s defense opened up for Haveritz in the 32nd minute, allowing him a pass
to Aubameyang, who stood the goalkeeper for his attempt on the lookout, and goalkeeper
Cohen prevented Salzburg from scoring.
Following a pass from Socic, the home team answered in the 34th minute with a low
attempt from Okafor that goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga stopped.
In the 36th minute, Havertz followed a ball into the penalty area that Gallagher had directed from the right side with his head, and the goalkeeper collected the ball in two batches.
In the 40th minute, Kiergard received a pass from Okafor, and his shot went just wide of the near post. Chelsea was just ready to score a second goal in the 44th minute when Kovacic and Sterling swapped passes, but the goalkeeper recovered the ball before Aubameyang could shoot.
In the extra period of the first half, Sterling threw the ball to Aubameyang in front of goal, but Cohen superbly blocked his shot.
With only one flawless touch to the right of goalkeeper Kepa, Adamo connected with Okafor’s low cross for Salzburg three minutes into the second half to tie the score.
Aubameyang saved goalie Cohen alone in the 52nd minute after Gallagher found space between the Salzburg defenders. A minute later, Jorginho headed a corner kick, but Adamo cleared it off the goal line.
In the 59th minute, Cohen once more put up a brave performance to put an end to a potentially deadly attempt from Aubameyang, and in the 63rd minute, Okafor’s shot following a ball from replacement Sisko went over Chelsea’s goal.
In the 64th minute, Chelsea retook the lead when Pulisic outran three defenders before finding Haveritz, who fired a flawless shot from the edge of the penalty area into the back of the net.
When Chalubah headed the ball away in the 66th minute to reach Okafor, who launched a straight shot that Kiba stopped, Salzburg attempted a rapid response. A minute later, the Spanish goalkeeper made a second appearance to save his goal from Cisco’s low drive after the latter had gotten past Chalubah.
In the 69th minute, Thiago Silva stopped Pavlovic’s header from going over the Chelsea goal line, while in the 74th minute, Gallagher’s attempt rebounded off Sewald.
Instead of Aubameyang and Pulisic, Chelsea started Armando Broja and Cesar Azpilicueta. Kepa stopped Dedic’s shot in the 87th minute, and the remaining minutes went by with no changes to the outcome.
