A Weekly Blog on All Things Chelsea

FC Nordsjælland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Parken Stadium, Copenhagen

Chelsea got their first away win in the group stage of the Champions League in two years with a clear but not altogether comfortable win over FC Nordsjælland in Copenhagen. A brace from Juan Mata, a freekick from David Luiz and a Ramires tap-in helped Chelsea to a 4-0 win, though the scoreline was a little harsh on the spirited home team.

The Danish champions started nervously on the poor Parken pitch, with Chelsea’s first chance coming after only two minutes, when Oscar’s chip cross was cleared by Jores Okore off the head of Moses from only a couple of yards from goal, with the Danish defender requiring stitches after a clash of heads.

Nordsjælland soon grew into the game, and once their early nerves had been settled, they became more comfortable in possession and playing the ball out from the back, much as they did in the defeat to Shaktar. Their main attacking threats were through Joshua John and Michael Parkhurst down each wing, and it was through these two wide-men that many of the first half Danish pressure was applied, with several whipped in crosses cleared by the heads of Cahill and Luiz.

Despite a couple of long-range efforts, the first Nordsjælland chance fell to Kasper Lorentzen after 20 minutes following a John cross, Lorentzen being kept from shooting in the 6-yard box by a diving block by Ashley Cole. Chelsea were soon down the other end, with Hansen in the Nordsjælland goal making a good low save with his legs after a poor defensive header by Runje gave Torres a chance to run on goal.

With two or three players crowding Mata and Oscar whenever they were in possession, and the hosts keeping the ball for decent stretches, Chelsea took the lead somewhat against the run of play after 32 minutes, Adu being caught in possession by Torres, who ran to the edge of the penalty area before laying the ball inside to Lampard, who slid a ball across the edge of the area to the clear Mata, who finished well with his left foot from just inside the box.

After the goal Chelsea were able to up the tempo of the game, with a Mata through ball just overhit and Torres well defended after bursting into the area. Nordsjælland kept playing the ball out from the back, with more Parkhurst crosses giving the Chelsea defence cause for concern, with Cahill doing well to clear from just in front of his goal, under pressure from Nordstrand.

Just before half-time, Chelsea had the ball in the net again, though it was a clear offside decision. Torres applied the finish, but could have done better just beforehand, following a good break by Moses and ball through by Oscar, when he shot straight into the keeper as he came out to close the Spaniard down – the rebound then struck back into the area by Ivanovic and turned in by Torres.

Torres was offside twice in the opening two minutes of the second half as well, as he chased down the Nordsjælland defenders when they had the ball at their feet. Again Hansen came out well to close Torres down after an Oscar through ball not long after the break. Nordsjælland kept playing though, and had another good long shot from John after 51 minutes, when he cut inside Ramires and curled the ball just wide of Cech’s right hand post. A further chance fell to Beckmann, who headed over when free in the area after an excellent long ball from the highly impressive 21-year-old Okore.

Chelsea’s keeper was not just watching the ball go wide of his goal, making excellent saves from Stockholm after 61 minutes low to his left from a low drive, and then a brilliant, stretching one-handed save from a curling John shot from the edge of the area, with the ball being tipped onto the left hand post.

Hazard replaced Moses after 64 minutes, and Chelsea played with more intricacy but less width following the Belgian’s introduction, but it took until the 79th minute before Chelsea could extend their lead. Parkhurst fouled Torres 25 yards out from goal, and David Luiz stepped up to fire the ball straight into the Nordsjælland net with Hansen rooted to the spot. It was a free kick that the likes of Ronaldo would have been proud of.

The third goal arrived only a couple of minutes later, when some intricate play on the edge of the Danish penalty area led to the ball landing at the feet of Mata, who did well to keep his balance and finish calmly past Hansen. The Spaniard was withdrawn straight away afterwards, replaced by Mikel, after scoring his fifth goal in four games.

After Lampard fired over from just outside the area, and with the Chelsea fans singing “There’s only one Di Matteo”, Torres held up the ball in the area, before slipping it through to the onrushing Oscar, who cut the ball across goal for Ramires to finish from a yard out.

The final score was tough on the home team, who played some good, confident football and gave Chelsea a much stiffer test than many had expected, but the Blues will be happy to head back to West London with four points from their opening two games.

In the other game in Group E, Juventus and Shaktar drew 1-1 in the new Turin Stadium.