Philipp Jorgensen stunk in Paris (Image: Getty)
Filip Jorgensen’s dismal second-half performance cost Chelsea as Liam Rosenior’s side suffered a 5-2 first-leg defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16. Jorgensen, who was picked ahead of Roberto Sanchez, gave the ball away to PSG winger Bradley Barcola before Vicinha scored the decisive goal of the first leg to make it 3-2.
Initially, PSG took the lead after just 10 minutes with a great shot from Barcola. The Blues equalized in the 28th minute when Maro Gusto’s shot deflected past Matvey Safonov. Just before the interval, Ousmane Dembele stopped a counter-attack and PSG regained the advantage. Enzo Fernandes’ equalizer was canceled out by Vicinha after a mistake by Jorgensen. Second-half substitute Kviča Kvaratschelia scored twice in the closing stages to send Chelsea into a tough spot in the second leg at Stamford Bridge next week. Express Sport rates and predicts Chelsea players…
It was a shaky start, with the goalkeeper giving away the ball to PSG and giving Dembele a chance. Moments later, he made a brilliant save to deny Dembele by hitting the ball against the post. Nevertheless, Jorgensen gifted PSG a goal in the second half with a careless pass that allowed Vicinha to chip a shot past the Chelsea goalkeeper. Kuvaratschelia’s second goal could have been a better performance.
The Frenchman scored Chelsea’s equalizer after the half-hour mark at the Parc des Princes. Gusto found himself in a lot of space and hit a sweet ball, although the goalkeeper should have done better. Gusto played very well considering he was faced with the difficult task of fighting against Barcola and at times when Dembele drifted to the side.
Fofana did not contribute well to Dembele’s goal. He was spun and deflected by his compatriot, but his attempt hit a Chelsea defender and deflected beyond Jorgensen. Granted, it was against the best player in the world in Dembele, but Fofana may be a little disappointed in how he managed that scenario.
Charova tried her best to win the ball until it fell to Due and Dembele scored. The defender actively tried to recover the ball but was unsuccessful, leaving a large gap in the defense.
The Spaniard looked a little rusty at times, but still found himself in threatening attacking positions. His energy on the left helped Chelsea escape from their own half on many occasions.
Wesley Fofana struggles to beat Ousmane Dembele’s goal (Image: Getty)
Chelsea’s captain put in a great performance. He added physicality to the midfield and distributed the ball well – which he consistently does.
The Ecuadorians quietly but effectively carried out their duties. He made a huge effort to break down PSG’s strong midfield trio.
Palmer started the game well, frequently creating space for himself on the right flank. He is a consistent threat whenever he is in possession of the ball, and there seems to have been some apprehension from PSG defenders after his performance in the Club World Cup final last July.
The Argentina international started the match impressively, distributing the ball deftly in the center of the pitch and occasionally spilling out to either flank. This was exemplified in the 28th minute when Gusto scored the equalizing goal with his cross-field pass. A great second half finish put Chelsea back on level terms.
Neto did a good job breaking PSG’s back line for the first time in the 17th minute, his shot almost coming close after a huge deflection from Nuno Mendes. In the second half he was excellent in bringing out Fernandes for Chelsea’s second goal. The Portuguese wideman showed great decisiveness, speed and composure to get the ball to his team-mates.
The Brazilian enjoyed considerable possession and maintained it for the most part despite the difficult conditions. In terms of scoring opportunities, Joao Pedro was limited apart from an early header where he probably should have done a little better.
substitute
Liam Delap (83 minutes as substitute for Joao Pedro) – N/A
There was a shot. Not enough time to make an impact.
Romeo Lavia (played in Palmer 83′) – N/A
It was probably introduced to try to tighten things up at Chelsea, but it ended up being a failure.
Alejandro Garnacho (participated in Gusto 88′) – N/A
There is not enough time to make a meaningful impact.
