Chelsea 1-0 Benfica: Blues unconvincing as Jose returns
Early own goal the only goal at the Bridge
Jose Mourinho suffered a disappointing return to Stamford Bridge as a first-half own goal saw Chelsea earn a 1-0 win over his new Benfica side in the Champions League.
Chelsea played without a central striker until Joao Pedro came off the bench – and he was then sent off late on for a high foot.
Chelsea lacked creaticity and invention but did force the only goal of the game.
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto looped the ball to Alejandro Garnacho at the far post and the Argentine stretched to turn it across the face of goal where the unfortunate Richard Rios could only poke it in his own net.
Mourinho, who won three league titles in two spells with Chelsea, took charge of Benfica less than two weeks ago after the side lost their first Champions League game to Azerbaijan’s Qarabag and the Lisbon side sacked Bruno Lage.
Pedro’s red card means the Blues have now had three red cards in four matches.
Chances were few and far between all night. Enzo Fernandez blasted low and wide early on against his former club, then Belgium international Dodi Lukebakio tried to sneak one between Robert Sanchez and his near post, the goalkeeper turning his driven effort onto the woodwork.
The game was briefly paused when Benfica fans threw objects at Fernandez as he prepared to take a corner, with Mourinho once again going down the sidelines but this to call for calm.