The Holy grail
Season 2019/2020 Group Stage
Day 4 Analyzed games
05/11 Chelsea - Ajax 4:4
05/11 Borussia Dortmund - Inter 3:2
When on October 31 I watched the match from Carabao Cup between Liverpool and Arsenal I thought that this is a one in a lifetime experience. To witness live such an entertaining masterpiece which finished 5:5 with so many dramatic comebacks and beautiful plays was a true gift from heaven which I did not wish to end. I never thought that I would live to see anything like that. And not only I did but I lived to see something even better and sooner than I've ever expected. I am speechless to describe how this great game of football continue to supply us with the unthinkable just when we think we've seen it all. The match on Tuesday on Stamford Bridge between Chelsea and Ajax was like the best suspense thriller script Hitchcock never wrote. Ups and Downs, twist and turns and so much more in this game made time fly and gave us a Champions League night to remember. A true celebration of the best of football.
With only four minutes into the game the score was already 1:1. This was the first sign of what was coming. Everyone on the stadium and at home knew what they are about to witness. The ball was moving so fast in both directions that even the flying above drone wasn't able to keep up with the tempo. The play resembled more of a tennis match between Djokovic and Federer rather than football. There were so many chances created that if the players from both teams were more accurate the score would have been much higher.
However Ajax took better advantage from their opportunities and scored twice in the 20 and 35 minutes. Chelsea received a huge blow and by the end of the first half the home crowd on Stamford Bridge became much quieter. During the break everybody counted on Frank Lampard to lift the spirit of his players, to bring back their confidence and to try their best to change the play of events. And not only they did but oh boy in what way. Ajax came out in the second half as strong as they finished the first. They even increased their lead in the 55 minute to 4:1. This was the moment when everyone thought it's over for Chelsea.
But the players in blue shirts had something else in their minds. Their historical come back started in the 63 minute when Azpilicueta made the score 4:2. Then it came 71 minute when all of a sudden the game took a swift turn in their direction. In one and the same attack the referee gave two red cards to Ajax players and penalty for Chelsea. In my humble opinion all his decisions during the match were legitimate. This situation in particular in the 71 minute I judge to be fair though unfortunate for Ajax. So in a blink of an eye the Dutch found themselves with 9 men and Chelsea just one goal behind.
Although Ajax coach made changes to his squad reinforcing his defense lines the inevitable happened and three minutes later the score was leveled. With 20 minutes still left in the game no one believed that Ajax can steal a point in London. But this is exactly what happened. It's worth pointing out that Chelsea did score in the 79 minute but the goal was disallowed by VAR due to offside of Abraham. The gladiators left the battlefield but not before they received a huge amount of applause from all sides. They shed their last blood on the pitch but there was no winner. This group is still undecided as Valencia benefited the most from this draw on Stamford Bridge and leveled their points with the first two top teams in the group.
At the same time on Signal Iduna Park Borussia Dortmund and Inter offered similar experience for the fans at home and in the stadium. The first half ended 0:2 for Inter. This result took by surprise the home crowd and the players themselves. But more worrying was the fact that the yellow shirts were totally outplayed by their opponents in the first 45 minutes. It looked like they would need a miracle to come back in the game. And again like very often in football ... this is exactly what happened. The second 45 minutes Dortmund played in a way as if they changed their whole team and yet it was the same players that entered the break with two conceived goals and no idea whatsoever of how they can score. By the 64 minute the result was leveled. At that point Inter made three substitutions trying to change things in their favor. But nothing helped against the furious and vicious attacks by the Germans. In the 77 minute Hakimi won three crucial points for his team in the crazy race for the first two positions in the group of death. This win will definitely boost Dortmund confidence in the upcoming derby match on Saturday against Bayern Munich. In earlier game Barcelona struggled at home drawing o:0 against Slavia Prague but kept their chances alive. Plenty of more to come in the Champions League this season and for sure we will not miss a thing.