Chelsea secured their second Champions League title in nine years by beating domestic rivals Manchester City 1-0 in Porto.
Kai Havertz’s first ever Champions League goal three minutes before halftime gave Thomas Tuchel’s side the lead in the 42nd minute, a strike to which City were never able to summon a response.
Pep Guardiola threw on Gabriel Jesus and then Sergio Aguero, appearing for the last time ever in a City shirt after a trophy-laden decade at the club, but he could not find a goal that would have completed the set and earned the club a much-coveted Champions League title.
Havertz meanwhile, Chelsea’s most expensive signing ever, could hardly contain his excitement at full-time.
“I waited a long time [for my first goal in the Champions League],” Havertz said.
“Now I’ve done it, I just want to thank my family, my parents, my brother my sister my grandmother, my girlfriend. I worked 15 years for that moment.”
Guardiola had surprised observers by naming neither Rodri or Fernandinho in his starting line-up for just the second time this season, instead opting for an attacking midfield three of Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.
In the early stages, City had the better chances with Raheem Sterling unable to get the ball out of his feet when played through by goalkeeper Emerson and Foden denied by a sensational last-gasp tackle from Antonio Rudiger.
The City tactical switch started to look like a misstep as Chelsea grew into the first half though when Timo Werner blew two good chances before Mason Mount slipped in Havertz, who rounded Ederson via a deflection off the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into an empty net.
City had periods of dominance, such as the 15 minutes after half-time in which Gundogan poised for a tap-in only to be denied by a Cesar Azpilicueta clearance while facing his own net that looked like a certain own goal.
An injury to Kevin De Bruyne though, forced off on the hour mark with a suspected orbital injury, broke City’s rhythm and Chelsea dropped deeper and deeper to hang onto their narrow lead and Foden was denied by a late block for the second time in the final minute of normal time, with Andreas Christensen this time intervening.
City were given a seven-minute window by the fourth official in which to find an equaliser, Riyad Mahrez going closest with an awkward volley that drifted inches over the crossbar, but Chelsea were able to hang on for a deserved victory.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3yQ7TO0
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