European competition has offered Maurizio Sarri some respite. Chelsea may not have dazzled in southern Sweden, and the Italian was infuriated by the late concession that has left the tie more delicately balanced than he would have hoped. But, in the context of the wounds inflicted recently upon his team at Arsenal, Bournemouth and Manchester City, any victory away from home, however workmanlike, is to be cherished.
Malmö’s late reward, taken neatly on the gallop by Anders Christiansen as he burst away from Mateo Kovacic and on to Markus Rosenberg’s pass, will pep Swedish belief in next week’s return leg. Sarri was still cursing that collective sloppiness when, in stoppage time, Ross Barkley was caught in possession and the locals briefly, tantalisingly, even sensed they might restore parity. That opportunity was snuffed out by a mess of yellow-shirted bodies, though the head coach, a man on edge, made his exasperation very clear.
Written by Dominic Fifield at Stadion
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/14/malmo-chelsea-europa-league-match-report under the title “Olivier Giroud’s backheel helps Chelsea see out first-leg win in Malmö”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
