Undoubtedly, Michael Essien’s absence in Tuesday’s Champions League match between Chelsea and Inter Milan had a telling effect on the London side.
Essien, defenders Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa as well as goalkeeper Peter Cech were all absent in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League game against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge due to injury and that appeared to have impacted on the team’s performance on the day.
Coach Carlos Ancelotti was completely outclassed by his counterpart Jose Mourinho who was visiting Stamford Bridge for the first time after leaving the team some three seasons ago.
His tactical ingenuity on the day saw the Italians dominating the midfield where Dutchman Wesley Snejder and Argentine Esteban Cambiasso operated, while defenders Walter Samuel and Brazilian Lucio kept the Chelsea attack of Didier Drogba and Nicholas Anelka at bay.
Kofi Agyemang, a die-hard fan of Chelsea conceded that Inter were a better side saying the London side missed the services of Essien and Cole immensely in the game.
“We missed Essien as there was no one to shoot from a distance. Mickel and Lampard were totally outplayed,” Muniru Alhassan, also a Chelsea fan who resides at Awoshie told Daily Guide Sports.
“Look at the goal Essien scored against Barcelona in the semi finals of last year’s competition and then you can concede that his absence was indeed felt”, a sports enthusiast, Kwame Brako of Dansoman, also told this paper.
Cameroonian Samuel Eto stunned about 50,000 Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday when he scored the only and decisive goal of the night for the Italians to qualify them to the last eight.
Source: Daily Guide Sports
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