Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Chelsea
It’s all square in the Europa League semi-final after Eintracht Frankfurt shared the spoils with Chelsea in an entertaining first leg at the Commerzbank Arena.
A goal on the stroke of half time, courtesy of Pedro, drew Chelsea level after Luka Jovic had given the hosts an early lead, and that give the Blues a big advantage as the second leg action heads to Stamford Bridge.
Adi Hutter’s Eintracht had their chances but Chelsea dominated possession and ultimately came closer to adding to the score, but Maurizio Sarri will be happy enough with the away goal. The Blues came into this game on the back of Premier League draws against Burnley and Manchester United, but according to the Europa League 2019 odds at SBOBET they were favourites to lift this trophy at the kick off.
And that target is very much on.
Highlights of the game
With Ante Rebic suspended and Sebastian Haller out with a stomach injury the hosts were a little light up front; but that just meant more work for their Europa League top scorer Luka Jovic, and he netted his ninth of the tournament midway through the first half. Filip Kostic raced down the left flank and hit a low centre which the 21 year old Serb got down to head home.
And the hosts had a great chance to make it two when Sebastian Rode swung a ball across which deflected off Olivier Giroud and almost into the path of Simon Falette, but he was inches away from getting the vital touch.
As half time approached Chelsea had their best spell of the game and they got their reward on 45 minutes. Ruben Loftus-Cheek did well on the edge of the area, beating two defenders and then laying the ball off to Pedro who controlled superbly before firing it into the far corner.
Hutter said before the game that his players would have to double up on Hazard to keep Chelsea’s best player quiet. But it was easier than he had expected in the first half as Sarri started with his main man on the bench.
The Blues were in the ascendency though and started the second half well; and were inches away from going ahead when they won a free-kick just outside the area. David Luiz lifted the dead ball kick over the wall only to see Trapp tip it onto the crossbar. That was enough encouragement for Sarri to go for the win and he brought Hazard on just after the hour.
Chelsea had a great chance to go ahead when Loftus-Cheek was in on goal but he blasted his shot straight at Trapp and Hazard shot over the bar when he should really have scored. But Frankfurt finished strongly and had a series of chances to win the first leg. Abraham headed a golden chance over the bar from a corner when he was totally unmarked, and then Luiz was on hand to clear when Jovic was poised to score his second.
Key statistics
Eintracht is this year’s outsider in the Europa League, and while they put up a good fight and are still in the tie, they were on the back foot for long periods as Chelsea enjoyed 67 per cent possession and won the shot count by 16 shots to six.
Frankfurt won the only previous meeting, a friendly back in 2010 but they will do well to maintain their unbeaten record against the Blues next week.
Sarri is now unbeaten in his last 14 games in the Europa League in what was Chelsea’s ninth major European semi-final since Roman Abramovich bought the Blues.
The other Europa League 2019 news of the night was that Arsenal had scored a late third goal to beat Valencia 3-1 at the Emirates to keep alive the chances of an all English final.
What’s next?
After a tough night’s work it doesn’t get any easier for the hosts. Frankfurt is in a four way battle for fourth place in the Bundesliga, and a difficult trip away to sixth placed Bayer Leverkusen awaits Hutter’s team on Sunday, before they head to West London to complete this tie.
Chelsea finishes its domestic season with a home game against FA Cup finalists Watford, which could see them secure a top four place, and then a big test away to Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City. If they need a result there, against the resurgent Foxes, it will be squeaky bum time for sure!
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