Chelsea leave it late to stun Atletico

Antoine Griezmann gave the hosts a first-half lead, which was against the run of play, from the penalty spot before Alvaro Morata equalised in the second half and Michy Batshuayi won it with the last kick of the game.

Despite a shaky first couple of minutes, it was Chelsea who enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges. Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata, who were starting alongside each other for the first time, linked up very well to create a number of chances.

First Morata was released by the Belgian winger and he shot across goal but his effort went just inches wide.

Hazard then struck the woodwork when he made some space for himself at the edge of the box before firing goalwards, and his shot was deflected onto the post with Jan Oblak rooted to the spot in the Atletico goal.

After 23 minutes Morata was greeted with another opportunity to give Antonio Conte’s side the lead. A superb 40-yard ball from David Luiz found the Spanish striker at the back post and his header was tipped over the bar by Oblak.

N’Golo Kante was pushing forward for Chelsea as well and he linked up with Hazard and created a chance for the Belgian winger, who should’ve done better from the edge of the area as he fired straight at Oblak.

Atletico then had their first dangerous moment of the first half after 35 minutes. Angel Correa, who had been lively down the right hand side, caused chaos in the Chelsea box with a dangerous cross in. Luiz and Thibaut Courtois both went for the same ball and it bounced inside the six-yard box but Luiz was able to clear.

Slightly against the run of play, the hosts were awarded a penalty and the perfect chance to take the lead. David Luiz pulled on the shirt of Lucas Hernandez during an Atletico corner, right in front of the referee, and a penalty was given.

Antoine Griezmann, who had been very quiet in the opening half, stepped up and calmly fired his penalty into the roof of the net, to give his side the lead after 40 minutes.

After the setback, the visitors almost had an instant response. A shot from the edge of the box by Marcos Alonso was goal-bound before being blocked, then a curling effort from Gary Cahill missed the target by inches.

In the final minutes of the half, Atletico came very close to doubling their lead. Koke’s low effort from 25 yards forced Courtois into a save but the rebound fell straight to Saul, who somehow side-footed wide from just 10 yards out.

The visitors continued from where they left off in the first half, looking much more threatening than Diego Simeone’s side.

A cross in from the right by Cesar Azpilicueta left Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez in no man’s land but was just too high for Morata who was bearing down at the back post.

Chelsea finally got the goal their play had deserved for most of the game after 59 minutes. Hazard cut inside on the left and sent a dangerous cross into the box which was met by Morata at the front post and the Spaniard headed past Oblak from close range.

They almost scored again just moments later after some scrappy play in the Atletico box. The ball fell to Cesc Fabregas just a few yards out but he couldn't get his footing right and poked the ball just wide.

The English side continued to be on top but the game appeared to be petering out with both sides seemingly content with a point. This was demonstrated by some defensive changes as Jose Gimenez replaced Thomas Partey for the hosts and Andreas Chrisensen came on for Cesc Fabregas for Chelsea.

However, in the dying seconds of the game, Chelsea won the tie with a brilliantly worked goal. From a free-kick, the Blues moved the ball around quickly and calmly, Bakayoko flicked the ball out wide to Alonso, who crossed low into the danger area and Michy Batshuayi, who had replaced the excellent Morata just minutes earlier, fired past Oblak to secure all three points for the away side.

The referee promptly blew the full-time whistle, but most of the Chelsea players and fans would have been unaware as they were too busy wildly celebrating the deserved last-gasp winner.

It was an excellent performance from the English champions and the perfect away performance as they came from behind and were impressive throughout to become the first away side to win at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

Chelsea fans will be extremely encouraged by the link-up play between Morata and Hazard in their first start together, as the pair tormented the Atletico defence non-stop until their second-half withdrawal. 

This win sends Chelsea top of Group C with six points from two games, while Atletico sit behind Roma in third place with just one point.