Chelsea vs Zenit LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action as the Blues began the defence of their European crown
Romelu Lukaku’s pinpoint header rescued Chelsea’s first match as Champions League holders in a 1-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg.
Belgium hitman Lukaku bagged his third goal in two games and his fourth for Chelsea since his £98million switch from Inter Milan.
The 28-year-old converted captain Cesar Azpilicueta’s hanging far-post cross with a header of stunning accuracy, and that after shrugging aside three touch-tight Zenit defenders.
Chelsea laboured past a resolute and regimented Zenit, for much of the match running the risk of limping to a dispiriting draw.
But then Lukaku rose up, highest of all, to nod home and turn the night entirely. Relive all the action below:
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
Second half: No personnel changes from Thomas Tuchel at the break and by the looks of it no tactical ones either.
Chelsea vs Zenit St Petersburg
Since the start of the 2020-21 season, no team have lost fewer games (1) or kept more clean sheets (9) than Chelsea in the Champions League, with the Blues winning nine of their 13 games in this period overall.
Manchester United stunned by Young Boys in Champions League opener
Earlier in the Champions League.
It is a fact that red cards change games but should any side down to 10 men allow a game to change this much? Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s sending off in Bern was the main reason why a comfortable winning start to this season’s Champions League campaign turned into a damaging defeat for Manchester United – but it should not be used an excuse.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s game management in Europe will come under scrutiny once more, as his response from the touchline only spurred Young Boys on to a historic victory:
Manchester United stunned by Young Boys in Champions League opener
Young Boys 2-1 Manchester United: Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s red card and Jesse Lingard’s late mistake saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side endure a nightmare start in Europe
Half-time: Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
45 mins: No minutes added on at the end of the first half and the teams go into the break on level terms. It has a solid if lacklustre first half. Zenit are well drilled defensively and Chelsea haven’t come up with a way to break them down.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
42 mins: Chance! Probably Chelsea’s best one of the game. A nice turn from Ziyech allows him to pick out James on the overlap. He swings a cross into the middle and finds Lukaku. The striker is under pressure and can’t control his header so the ball loops up and over the Zenit goal.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
39 mins: A corner ball for Zenit sails over the cluster of bodies in the middle of the box and drops for Rakits’kyy. He rolls it onto his left peg and hits a curling effort at goal that Edouard Mendy gets behind and catches. That’s the first shot on target from either team.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
36 mins: Jorginho gets to the byline and cuts the ball back into the box looking for Lukaku. Rakits’kyy is there to intercept and he knocks it out to Douglas Santos who looks for a breakaway on the left wing. Mount chases him down and a little push sends the Zenit defender to ground.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
33 mins: Alonso finds a little room on the left side of the box and runs into it to provide Mount an option. He passes the ball out to the wingback who wins a corner when Sutormin blocks his attempted cross. Reece James is once again on corner taking duties and once again Zenit are able to clear the ball.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
30 mins: Zenit almost pull a Jesse Lingard with a shocking backpass but keeper Kritsyuk gets there in time to boot the ball into touch.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Zenit St Petersburg
27 mins: Zenit are enjoying a period of possession but they aren’t doing much with the ball. They’ve spread but are content knocking it around the backline inviting Chelsea to press up the pitch. Eventually the ball comes down the left side and a poor forward pass gives the ball away to Azpilicueta.
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