Goals: Chelsea—Fabregas 11’ Schalke 04—Huntelaar
Recap: Ninety minutes of physical football saw Chelsea and Schalke 04 draw 1-1 on Wednesday.
Cesc Fabregas opened the affair early in the first half, beating goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann to the near post. Schalke 04 would settle into the match, finishing the contest with 48 percent possession and five shots on goal. The club would be rewarded in the 62nd minute thanks to a right-footed finish from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Neither side was able to find the match-winner before the final whistle.
Key Moment: Schalke 04 will feel hard done by Fabregas’ opener in the 11th minute, and for good reason. Challenging for a 50/50 ball in the midfield, Fabregas made clear contact with his opposition instead. Seconds later, the Spaniard polished off a slotted pass from teammate Eden Hazard. The goal stood, but decent officiating would’ve and should’ve said otherwise.
Man of the Match: Hazard finished his 90-minute shift with one assist, five take-ons and five attempts.
Lesson Learned: Chelsea were anointed Champions League favorites after acquiring Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa during the summer transfer window. Following Wednesday’s result, they were anointed prematurely. Dominating in the Premier League is one thing, but being able to contend with Europe’s elite is another. Jose Mourinho and company must prove their worth before being considered for the title over the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Up Next: Schalke 04 return home to host Eintracht in league play on Saturday, while Chelsea faces Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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