Chelsea 2-1 Benfica: Doing It the Hard Way, Chelsea's Way

Chelsea announced this afternoon that Terry ‘One England Captain’ has two cracked ribs which were sustained in Portugal last week. As for future availability – Wigan and Fulham, Tottingham and the first leg against UEFAlona, sorry Barcelona, Chelsea said, ‘We will continue to monitor his progress on a daily basis.’

As for the game last night.

To be honest I wasn’t at all worried until the 85^th minute when Benfica pulled an extremely soft goal back – Luiz went walkabout and Cechie Boy didn’t even walk. Come to think of it he didn’t even jump and he blotted his copybook after pulling off a couple of brilliant saves to keep The Eagles at bay.

Those minutes right up to the point when Meireles scored Chelsea’s 2^nd with a stunning piledriver were the worst of the night and I had visions of Benfica scoring another even more so when four minutes went up for stoppage time.

Fortunately the added time gave Meireles the opportunity to display his shooting prowess – which is all he is good for – seeing Chelsea through to face Mr Messi and his Catalan counterparts in a semi-final that is Chelsea’s 6^th ‘Corrupt Cup’ semif-final in nine years.

It is a sorry statistic. Out of the six semi-finals, only one final appearance – the laws of probability suggest at least two or even three final appearances (33% or 50% strike rate.)

The 2^nd appearance, as is well documented and never forgotten, should have been in 2009, when Chelsea were on the verge of beating Barca at the Bridge, but Barca’s very, very late goal and the shocking refereeing display by Henning Ovebro put paid that year.

It is time for redemption – Barcelona redemption.

Revenge is in the air.

All I ask is for UEFA to continue being ‘generous’ in appointing referees like the Slovenian, Mr Skomina who spent the night ‘winding-up’ Benfica’s coach Jorge Jesus with decisions that Chelsea relished but were unable to take advantage off, especially once Benfica’s  Pereira had been sent-off.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry (c) (Cahill 59), Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Ramires, Mata (Meireles 79), Kalou, Torres (Drogba 88).

Goals: Lampard pen 20, Meireles 90

Booked: Ivanovic 37, Ramires 43, Mikel 78

Benfica: Artur, Pereira (c), Garcia, Emerson, Capdevila, Matic, Bruno Cesar (Rodrigo 72), Witsel, Gaitan (Djalo 61), Cardozo (Oliveira 56), Aimar

Goal: Garcia 84

Booked: Cardozo 18, Bruno Cesar 19, Pereira 19, Aimar 27

Sent Off: Pereira 39

COME ON CHELSEA

TWITTER: @WVOMChelsea

NEXT UP: Wigan Athletic (H), Saturday 7^th April 2012, k.o.3pm