Luiz penalty saved as Genk hold Chelsea
Reuters - Tuesday 01 November 2011, 23:06
Chelsea threw two precious
Champions League points away on Tuesday, missing a penalty and
producing a lacklustre performance as they allowed Racing Genk
to pull back from a goal down to draw 1-1.
Group E leaders Chelsea now have eight points from four
matches, two ahead of Bayer Leverkusen who lost 3-1 at Valencia
(five points). Genk are bottom with two.
"It's not a bad result away from home but we expected to
win," coach Andre Villas-Boas told reporters. "We created enough
opportunities to win the game but it's not happening for us in
terms of efficiency.
"When you get a bad run of results you have to get a win
straight away to take you out of that run," he said, referring
to his team's two successive defeats in the Premier League
against Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers.
Chelsea, who hammered the Belgians 5-0 at Stamford Bridge
two weeks ago, showed their superior class early on and Fernando
Torres chipped over the defence for Brazilian midfielder Ramires
to volley in from close range in the 26th minute.
Raul Meireles then smashed a long-range shot against the
crossbar in the 38th minute as the Londoners took complete
control at the Cristal Arena.
A minute later Norwegian referee Svein Oddvar Moen ruled
Thomas Buffel had blocked the ball in the penalty area with his
raised hand.
PENALTY SAVED
David Luiz stepped forward to take the spot-kick but his
weak attempt was saved by Genk keeper Laszlo Koteles diving to
his right.
The home team came out fighting in the second half and
received a deserved reward in the 61st minute when Fabien Camus
cut the ball back for the unmarked Jelle Vossen to beat keeper
Petr Cech and defender Ashley Cole on the goal-line.
Frank Lampard then missed an open goal in the closing
minutes, slicing the ball wide from a metre out after good work
down the right by fellow substitute Daniel Sturridge.
Florent Malouda almost snatched a winner in stoppage-time
when he lifted the ball over Koteles from a narrow angle only to
see the ball cleared off the line.
"Our keeper kept us in the game and in the second half we
got chances and played even better than Chelsea," said Genk
coach Mario Been.
Been added his side had shown Chelsea "too much respect" in
the first game two weeks ago.
Chelsea and England captain John Terry, the subject of a
police inquiry over alleged racist abuse against Rangers
defender Anton Ferdinand, was left on the bench as Villas-Boas
rotated his squad.