Chelsea made to work for win
Chelsea's victory was not a wonder given their fame as Champions League holders and their awesome start to the season
Chelsea opened their defence of the Champions League with a victory as Romelu Lukaku eventually pierced Zenit St Petersburg’s cussed resistance at Stamford Bridge.
Lukaku, a £97.5m summer signing from Inter Milan, has already tested his aim hazard in the Premier League and turned into at the mark again with his first intention for Chelsea in the competition they gained for the second one time towards Manchester City in June.
Chelsea had been made to paintings tough as Zenit dug in however supervisor Thomas Tuchel’s facet stepped up the tempo after the interval, Lukaku breaking the impasse whilst he headed in on the a ways put up from Cesar Azpilicueta’s go withinside the 69th minute.
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The holders deserved the victory however Zenit overlooked a wonderful risk to grab a factor whilst replacement Artem Dzyuba slid extensive from six yards as he attempted to show in Sardar Azmoun’s go past due on.
it turned into Lukaku, the talisman, who confirmed another time what a distinction he’ll make to Chelsea via way of means of presenting the reducing aspect they frequently lacked closing season, despite the fact that they gained Europe’s elite opposition in Porto.
Lukaku’s probabilities had been restrained as Zenit defended nicely and with actual resilience however he pounced on the primary possibility he turned into given to attain with a towering header.
Chelsea struggled to make any influence withinside the first 1/2 of however it turned into clean Tuchel had ordered his gamers to transport via the gears and that they had been a lot extra forceful after the break.
If Lukaku is the primary guy in attack, it turned into defender Antonio Rudiger who set the tone at each ends to boost the Chelsea fanatics internal Stamford Bridge.
Rudiger lifted the noise ranges with a surging run from internal his very own 1/2 of simply after the re-begin which ended with a shot that flashed simply extensive. He then made a crucial assignment at the alternative stop as Zenit’s Iranian ahead Azmoun threatened to present the site visitors a surprise lead, celebrating his interception with a fist pump to the group who respect the German’s uncompromising style.
