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Chelsea were in need of a morale boost against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League earlier this week and they certainly proved a point with a comfortable 2-0 victory against the Portuguese giants. The Blues now have two crucial away goals in the tie and their dominant performance bodes well for Thomas Tuchel’s ambitions this season.
FC Porto troubled Chelsea on a few occasions with Otavio and Moussa Marega threatening Edouard Mendy’s clean sheet. The Blues had to contend with a few counter-attacks by the Iberian outfit but were largely able to dictate terms in what was a crucial encounter in Chelsea’s season so far.
Thomas Tuchel’s 3-4-3 formation has revolutionized Chelsea’s European campaign and the setup paid dividends against FC Porto on Wednesday. The Blues kept plenty of the ball and the likes of Jorginho and Mason Mount were able to pull the strings in the middle of the pitch.
Chelsea created their fair share of chances in the first half-hour and broke the deadlock after a piece of sheer magic from Mason Mount left Porto’s defense in disarray. The young Englishman received the ball on the edge of the penalty area before producing a splendid turn and finish to give Chelsea a well-deserved lead.
Mount had a stunning game for Chelsea as he scored a goal, won 4 duels, and had an incredible 86% passing accuracy.
FC Porto fashioned a few opportunities for themselves but seemed to grow tired as the game progressed. The Portuguese side did manage to shock Andrea Pirlo’s Juventus in the Champions League last month but Thomas Tuchel’s tactical nous prevented Porto from pulling off a similar result in this fixture.
Chelsea’s possession-based style of play has resulted in an uptick in fortunes this season and gave the Blues a discernible upper hand throughout the game. Tuchel has given Chelsea a robust tactical foundation and his guidance is sparking a revival among some of the Blues’ most high-profile players.
FC Porto took a proactive approach to the game after the hour-mark but did not find goalscoring chances easy to come by. Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic effectively screened Chelsea’s defense from Porto’s talented midfield and launched a number of forays into the opponents’ half.
With Porto pushing high up the pitch towards the end of the game, Ben Chilwell made full use of his pace and control to double Chelsea’s lead and give Tuchel’s side a comfortable victory. Chelsea now carry a commendable two-goal advantage to Stamford Bridge and are the favorites to advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
