Eden Hazard at the double as Chelsea rescue a point against resurgent Roma
Chelsea 3 Roma 3: The Premier League champions appeared to be coasting to victory against Roma, before goals from Man City old boys Aleksandar Kolarov and Edin Dzeko made them sweat
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
If Chelsea’s decidedly mixed start to the new season could be condensed into one erratic performance — it would be this. The Premier League champions almost threw away all three points against an entertainingly aggressive Roma side last night, losing a two-goal lead to briefly trail 3-2, only for the sublime Eden Hazard to rescue them a draw with time running out.
It wasn’t supposed to be this difficult. With half-time lass than five minutes away Chelsea were cruising, on course for all three points thanks to fine goals from David Luiz and Hazard.
But a fortunate strike from Aleksandar Kolarov and a stunning brace from Edin Dzeko, both former Manchester City players who know Stamford Bridge all too well, had Chelsea reeling and in danger of a first European defeat of the season. It marks the first time in Antonio Conte’s managerial career that one of his teams has conceded three goals in a Champions League game, and to an extent his defence could have done better with all three of them.
Buoyed by the news that Atletico Madrid had failed to beat 10-man FK Qarabag on their travels, both sides started at a thunderous pace. The half-fit Alvaro Morata shot tamely into the arms of Alisson Becker when played through one-on-one by Hazard, while Diego Perotti blazed over from the edge of the box after a winding run through Chelsea's defence.
Just moments later, from a very similar position, Luiz showed him how it is done. The Brazilian strode forward and, after his attempted through ball to Morata was inadvertently toe-poked back to him by the retreating Juan Jesus, he curled a sublime low shot beyond Becker and into the corner of the goal.
Roma responded well and had chances to equalise, with both talismanic captain Radja Nainggolan and the lively Perotti guilty of shooting directly at Thibaut Courtois when played into fine positions. And the Italians were made to pay for their profligacy when Chelsea doubled their lead on the counter-attack. Morata’s deflected shot fell kindly for Hazard at the back-post, with the Belgian making no mistake from close range to notch his first goal of the season.
Having played so impressively and dominated possession, Roma were unlucky to find themselves heading into half-time two goals down, but a familiar face helped them to halve Chelsea’s lead shortly before the break.
Kolarov, who moved to the club from Manchester City in the summer, caught Cesar Azpilicueta flat-footed down the left, before attempting to squeeze a shot beyond the lunging Andreas Christensen from a tight angle. It looped off the youngster and over Courtois and Roma were back in contention.
The pressure began to mount, as Chelsea continued to stubbornly sit back and Roma began to pour forwards in ever increasing numbers. Gerson blazed over from the edge of the penalty area. Nainggolan spurned another chance. And Perotti — so capable of ghosting into space in Chelsea’s penalty area but so wasteful when fed the ball — slotted another shot into the welcoming arms of Courtois.
It took another City old boy to seize one of the myriad of chances, and a Tottenham reject to make it. Pouncing on the ball in the middle of the park, the much-maligned Fazio floated an inch-perfect pass above the Chelsea defence and into the path of Dzeko. Shrugging off the attentions of Christensen, the Bosnian allowed the ball to drop over his left shoulder, lashing home a sublime volley high into the net.
Finally Chelsea began to attack with their wing-backs waved forwards, but Dzeko wasn’t finished there. Tiemoué Bakayoko conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left and Kolarov's whipped cross was aimed at only one man. Again Dzeko was just too powerful, evading the attention of Azpilicueta and thumping his header home from the edge of the six-yard box. Roma were rightfully in the lead.
Ahead for the first time in the match, Eusebio Di Francesco counselled calm as, alongside him, Conte wheeled his arms around in fury. But Roma’s attempt to strangle the match in true Serie A style didn’t last long. Cesc Fabregas played Pedro into space down the right, and the Spaniard picked out Hazard lurking in the box, the Belgian doubling his tally for the evening — and the season — with a brilliantly cushioned header directed beyond the dive of Becker.
Both sides had chances to nick it at the end, but equally both sides will be reasonably content with a point given Atletico’s struggles. The draw leaves Group C finely poised, with Chelsea set to Rome in just under two weeks time.
Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill, Zappacosta (Rudiger 77), Fabregas, Luiz (Pedro 57), Bakayoko, Alonso, Morata, Hazard (Willian 80).
Subs not used: Caballero, Kenedy, Batshuayi, Scott.
Roma: Alisson, Bruno Peres, Fazio, Juan Jesus, Kolarov, Nainggolan, Gonalons, Strootman (Florenzi 83), Gerson (Pellegrini 74), Dzeko, Perotti (El Shaarawy 88).
Subs not used: Skorupski, Moreno, De Rossi, Under.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)