Chelsea 1-1 Atletico Madrid Champions League 2017-18 Report

Chelsea - Atletico Madrid – Decembre 2017

[ UEFA Champions League 2017-18 Match ]

56′ 0 – 1 Saúl Ñíguez

75 1 – 1 Stefan Savic 

Eden Hazard’s powerful strike and a massive deflection off Stefan Savic saw Chelsea share the points with Atletico Madrid in their Champions League group C closer.

Chelsea missed a chance to finish top of Champions League Group C after a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid, who will settle for a Europa League spot.

Saul Niguez scored in the second half and goalkeeper Jan Oblak put on a show, and though a Stefan Savic allowed Chelsea to equalise, the result helped neither team.

With Roma defeating Qarabag in the other group game, the Serie A side will top the group on the head-to-head tiebreaker, while Chelsea -- already through to the knockout stage -- finish second and Atletico third, four points adrift.

Alvaro Morata had three opportunities to score in the first half but could not put Chelsea into the lead. After the striker spun at the top of the box and fired just wide of the post, he was denied twice from close range by fine saves from Jan Oblak.

The Atletico goalkeeper then made his best stop to thrwart Davide Zappacosta, whose low shot from the edge of the area appeared headed for the bottom corner.

In the second half, Oblak was again on hand to catch Andreas Christensen's header, and moments later was able to put a hand to Morata's header following a corner.

Atletico nearly took the lead in the 53rd minute when Filipe Luis rattled the post with a shot, and Chelsea keeper Thibault Courtois was able to recover in time to catch Koke's follow-up header.

But the visitors were in the lead three minutes later as Koke sent in a corner kick that was expertly headed on by Fernando Torres to Saul, who could not miss.

An equaliser would have seen Chelsea top the group instead of Roma, but Christensen missed a header wide with the net gaping, and Morata was again denied by Oblak on the goal line.

But the goal finally came following a corner, the ball coming out to Hazard, who put a shot towards goal that struck Savic before entering the net.

Willian had an opportunity to net a winner when the ball came to him in the closing stages, but he mis-hit it high and wide.