On a disappointing night, Chelsea’s aspirations to progress to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages experienced a significant setback, following their 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. This loss escalates the pressure on manager Andre Villas-Boas.
A stunning header from Leverkusen defender Manuel Friedrich in the 91st minute capped off an impressive comeback for the hosts, who overcame a 1-0 deficit to secure a crucial victory that places them at the top of Group E.
With Valencia’s 7-0 thrashing of Genk, they now sit in second place; Chelsea has dropped to third, yet there is only one point separating the three teams.
After Didier Drogba from Ivory Coast had given Chelsea the lead with a second-half goal, Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok, who came off the bench, leveled the score before Friedrich’s dramatic late winner.
Losing to Leverkusen adds to the mounting pressure on Villas-Boas, whose squad has now lost three of their last four Barclays Premier League fixtures, marking Chelsea’s second consecutive loss.
To advance, Chelsea must secure a victory against Valencia at Stamford Bridge in two weeks, while Leverkusen will be able to progress with just a draw at Genk.
In London, Arsenal solidified their place in the knockout round, achieving a 2-1 victory over German side Borussia Dortmund, thanks to two goals from Robin van Persie.
The Dutch international van Persie’s two second-half goals have brought his season total to an impressive 21 across all competitions, ensuring the Premier League club finishes atop Group F, with one match remaining.
His double emphasizes the Arsenal captain’s vital role, as the team has steadily returned to form following a rocky start to their campaign.
Van Persie’s goals came in the 49th and 86th minutes, effectively quelling Dortmund’s efforts.
Shinji Kagawa, representing Japan, found the net for Dortmund in the dying moments of injury time, but it proved too late as Arsenal secured a place in the last 16 of the Champions League for the twelfth consecutive year.
Group E
Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 2 Chelsea (ENG) 1
Valencia (ESP) 7 RC Genk (BEL) 0
Group F
Marseille (FRA) 0 Olympiakos (GRE) 1
Arsenal (ENG) 2 Borussia Dortmund (GER) 1
Group G
Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) 0 APOEL Nicosia (CYP) 0
Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) 0 Porto (POR) 2
Group H
AC Milan (ITA) 2 Barcelona (ESP) 3
BATE Borisov (BLR) 0 Viktoria Plzen (CZE) 1
by Buford Balony
