Champions League: Alejandro Garnacho's equalizer helps Chelsea draw against Qarabag
What's the story
Chelsea's hopes of a comfortable win in the UEFA Champions League were dashed as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Azerbaijan champions Qarabag. The match took place at Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium and saw Alejandro Garnacho coming off the bench to score an equalizer for Chelsea. Estevao had opened the scoring for Chelsea, but Qarabag fought back with two goals before halftime.
Match highlights
Qarabag take a 2-1 lead before halftime
Chelsea started strong with Estevao scoring early in the match. However, Qarabag responded with Leandro Andrade scoring after Camilo Duran hit the post. Marko Jankovic then converted a penalty after Jorrel Hato's handball, giving Qarabag a 2-1 lead before halftime. Chelsea struggled to contain Qarabag's aggressive play and physicality throughout the first half, which saw them concede two goals in quick succession.
Tactical changes
Garnacho's goal secures a point for the Blues
In the second half, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made some key substitutions, bringing on Alejandro Garnacho, Enzo Fernandez and Liam Delap. The changes proved effective as Garnacho equalized with a low shot into the bottom corner. Despite both teams having chances to win the match, it ended in a draw. The result leaves Chelsea with seven points from four matches in this season's Champions League league phase.
Strategic decisions
Chelsea escape with a point in Azerbaijan
Maresca's decision to rotate his squad heavily for this match invited pressure from Qarabag. The underdogs were fearless, making it difficult for Chelsea to gather their thoughts amid the noise from the stands. Despite the draw, Chelsea will be relieved to have salvaged a point from their long trip to Azerbaijan. However, they will now face tougher challenges in their next Champions League matches.
Information
A look at the match stats
Chelsea made 16 attempts with 4 of their shots on target. Qarabag had three shots on target from 9 attempts. The Blues dominated possession (61%) and managed 435 successful passes.
Feats
Unique records made by Garnacho and Estevao
As per Squawka, Garnacho is the first player to score for two different English clubs in the UEFA Champions League while aged 21 or younger (Chelsea and Manchester United). As per Opta, Estevao is now the only South American player to score in consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances while aged 18 or younger.