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Betis 1 - Chelsea 0 Betis: Contreras;
Varela, Juanito, Nano (Castellini 20'), Melli; Arzu, Rivera; Joaquín
Edu, Capi (Fernando 84'); Oliveira (Dani 24'). 4-2-3-1. Goals: An epic win for Betis against a Chelsea side who have not lost this season (penalty shoot outs excluded) and who had not let in a goal in the Champions League before this match. Serra Ferrer had several key players missing, and he lost Nano and Oliveira to injuries with only a quarter of the game gone. But cup final hero Dani came on to replace Oliveira and within four minutes he had his name on the scoresheet, picking up a pass from Capi which Edu stepped over to turn Gallas and shoot wide of Cech. Later in the first half Contreras saved well from Joe Cole and Juanito got close enough to Gudjohnsen to put him off as Chelsea came looking for the equaliser. Dani should have made it two before the break though when he shot wide with the goal at his mercy after the keeper could only push out a long shot from Edu. Mourinho made two changes at the interval, bringing on Wright-Phillips and Drogba, and the English side came within an inch of scoring when Essien got on the end of a Wright-Phillips cross to fire in a shot which hit both posts and rebounded into the hands of the keeper. The French midfielder found the net soon afterwards only to see the strike ruled out for a previous foul, but otherwise the visitors were frustrated by a hard working defence, and the referee was forced to get out his yellow card a number of times late on as tempers frayed at the end. The result virtually ensures Betis a place in the top three, and as things stand they would qualify for the UEFA cup. However their ambitions go higher than that, and a good result against Liverpool in three weeks time would put them in with a chance of reaching the last sixteen. That is for the future though, but tonight the partying in Sevilla will go on into the early hours of the morning. |
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