The Match Was Said To be El Cashico As Both The Teams, Chelsea And PSG Made extra-ordinary signings this Summer.The Other Surprise Of this match was that this Was played for the first time in Yankee stadium. Chelsea and PSG played to a 1-1 draw in front of thirty eight thousand people, in the latest game in the World Football Challenge.While the storied baseball venue had seen its fair share of soccer curios - this was the first time the newest version of the stadium had hosted such an event. It was fitting, then, that the first soccer match at the symbol of the Yankee's dominance should be two teams who are now similar financial behemoths of the European game, and who share with the Yankees the luxury problem of trying to translate an abundance of wealth into the trophies they most crave.The two teams are at very different stages of their respective projects. As PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti pointed out after the game, Chelsea have had almost a decade of investment in their side, while PSG only began their round of conspicuous consumption last year. Yet watching the two sides in the first half of this game, it would have been hard to tell which was the side of newer vintage. Despite having less of the ball, PSG showed pace and wit in possession, repeatedly stretching the Chelsea backline marshalled by Luiz and Cahill, as they sent defence-splitting balls through for the dangerous Lavezzi to try and feed on.Chelsea were outfought too in the opening half, losing 65% of the one-on-one battles in the opening period, while their front man Lukaku had little chance to show whether his undoubted strength and talent can be harnessed as a lone striker who can hold up the ball. There were positives - flashes of invention from Hazard and a confident de Bruyne always showing for the ball and looking for the shooting angle, but PSG's opening goal, on half an hour, always looked to be coming.After all their probing through balls, the goal turned out to be the product of much closer control. There seemed to be little danger when Pastore picked up the ball at the left corner of the box, with three Chelsea players in close attendance. But the player showed great tenacity to wriggle through and flick a shot of Cech's near upright. With the goalkeeper committed the ball ricocheted off the post to Nene, following in, who managed to steer in a finish off the legs of Luiz.The goal silenced the overwhelmingly pro-Chelsea crowd, while the small pocket of PSG fans celebrated behind the goal. Up to that point the largest cheer PSG had had, was when Chelsea alumni Alex and Ancelotti had their names read out in the pre-game line up announcements. The assembled blue hordes had also cheered montages of the Champions League run and Peter Osgood's greatest hits prior to the game, but this Chelsea side didn't give their support much to cheer about before half time.Chelsea could have been forgiven for thinking the inevitable swathe of half-time substitutions would favour them - PSG made eight changes, including their entire backline and goalscorer, while Chelsea would have regarded Ivanovic, Essien, Ramires, and Marin for Luiz, Lampard, De Bruyne and Kakuta, as at the very least, no net loss. But rather than giving Chelsea momentum the game lost shape until the hour, with PSG still passing neatly, though with less immediate danger, and Chelsea still looking slightly anonymous.On the hour mark, the noise level lifted again. Another wave of substitutes, most of them Chelsea's, entered the fray - among them John Terry, trotting onto the field to one of the largest cheers of the night and a standing ovation (and a smattering of boos). Chelsea may be undergoing a transformation in style and personnel following their success in Munich, but the roots of that success remain in this side. As if reminded of the formula, Chelsea began to gradually get stronger as the game edged towards a more exciting denouement.First came the equalizer, from the Brazilian connection. Running down the right in the 82nd minute, Ramires looked to have nothing on, until he threaded a smart ball inside for the lunging Piazon, a fellow sub, to nudge across the keeper at the near post. Cue another huge cheer and an emboldened Chelsea side pushing for a winner. They nearly got one too - Cole's 86th minute ball across goal finding Malouda with his back to goal at point blank range, but his turn and shot was straight at the keeper.Even as Chelsea escalated their efforts though, PSG were matching them punch for punch and could have won it themselves when the ball broke to Hoarau in the box - only for his off-balance shot to scoop straight into the arms of a grateful Ross Turnbull (on for Cech). Then as the game drifted into stoppage time, the impressive Pastore curled a 25 yard shot towards the top corner, forcing Turnbull to claw the ball away.The result of course is ultimately meaningless, and the second half substitutions provided their usual friendly game function of providing more questions than insights. Nonetheless, this was an impressive display by PSG, even without their newest asset Ibrahimovic, while Chelsea got a workout, another chance for Di Matteo to look at his side in this configuration and vital minutes for their fringe players. They move on to meet the MLS all-stars on Wednesday, while PSG will face DC United in their next game in the Challenge.
Chelsea: Cech; Luiz, Ferreira, Cahill, Hutchinson; Lampard, Obi Mikel, De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku, Kakuta
Subs: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Cole, Essien, Ramires, Malouda, McEachran, marin, Terry, Chalobah, Piazon
Paris St Germain: Douchez; Sakho, Alex, Armand, Jallet; Nene, Bodmer, Chantome Clement, Pastore; Lavezzi, Gameiro
Subs: Areola, Le Crom; Bisevac, Camara, lagano, Maxwell; Tiene, Verratti, Rabiot; Luyindula, Hoarau
0 comments:
Post a Comment