FC Porto 0-2 Chelsea: Mount and Chilwell put Blues in Champions League driving seat

Chelsea sealed a 2-0 first leg win against FC Porto in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

Thomas Tuchel’s side weren’t at their best in Seville but they claimed an important win with two vital away goals.

Mason Mount gave Chelsea the lead against the run of the play in the 32nd minute after a sublime touch which saw him find the bottom corner.

EFE/Jose Manuel Vidal/Sipa USA

And Ben Chilwell added another five minutes from time as he rounded Marchesin to tap into an empty net to double the lead.

It was a fast start from Porto in Seville as they pressed high and quickly, forcing Chelsea into passing error after error. Chelsea failed to show a reaction from their defeat against West Brom early on.

Uribe had a chance in the 12th minute for Porto as he fired just over Edouard Mendy’s bar after Andreas Christensen made an important block to deny Luis Dias moments before.

Chelsea just couldn’t get out as their passing was dismal with Porto continuing to apply the pressure. Mendy was nearly caught out in the 24th minute after the strong winds saw a corner swerve towards his goal but he kept it out well before Zaidu blasted over the rebound from close range. 

EFE/Jose Manuel Vidal/Sipa USA

But it was Chelsea who took the lead and in some fashion too. Jorginho found Mason Mount, whose touch to take it out of his feet to turn into the box was sensational, before he fired it into the bottom corner past Marchesin to send the visitors ahead and to give them a crucial away goal. It was Chelsea’s first shot on goal in the whole game, and what a moment to do it for their Player of the Season.

(Photo by Isabel Silva / SPP/Sipa USA)

Mendy made an important stop two minutes before half-time to deny Pepe who powered his header at the Blues goal. 

Chelsea found space early on in the second-half as Mount clipped a ball to Timo Werner in the box, but he could only steer his header off target inside the opening two minutes. 

Four minutes later, Marega found space in behind Antonio Rudiger but Mendy got down well to deny the Porto forward of levelling the game up.

EFE/José Manuel Vidal/Sipa USA

Luis Diaz went close in the 57th minute as he found room to turn on the edge of the area, but his curling effort went just wide of Mendy’s goal, who was stretching.

Chelsea nearly went two nil up on the hour mark after Rudiger saw his effort from distance spilled by Marchesin and Werner squared it to Kai Havertz who had an open goal. He missed but luckily the offside flag was raised to spare his blushes.

Azpilicueta somehow headed James’ cross wide in the 64th minute from close range which should’ve seen the Blues double their lead.

Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud were brought on by Tuchel in the 65th minute for Havertz and Werner in the Blues’ first changes of the evening.

EFE/Jose Manuel Vidal/Sipa USA

Tuchel looked to see the first leg out by bringing on Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante late on. They replace match-winner Mount and James in the 80th minute. 

Six minutes from time, Pulisic was played in by Giroud but his thunderous effort crashed off the woodwork. 

But Chelsea doubled their lead in the 85th minute as Chilwell forced an error and he rounded Marchesin to tap into an empty net to secure a vital second goal.

And that was that for Chelsea in Seville. A really important result for Tuchel’s men in Spain ahead of the second leg next Tuesday. The job is half done.

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