Chelsea were shocked 2-1 at home by Switzerland’s Basel in Jose Mourinho’s first Champions League game after returning to Stamford Bridge.
English football club Chelsea were shocked 2-1 at home by Switzerland’s Basel in Jose Mourinho’s first Champions League game after returning to Stamford Bridge. Oscar opened the scoring in the 45th minute for Chelsea Wednesday by striking home from the right after being played in by captain Frank Lampard, reports Xinhua.
The home side had a few more chances in the second half, with Oscar hitting the crossbar and Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic both shooting wide, but the visitors finally found the equaliser in the 71st minute through Mohamed Salah. Eight minutes from time, Marco Streller finished off the game with a near-post header from a corner.
Mourinho said he took all the responsibility for the defeat. “When we lose I don’t speak about the players or individuals. I speak about my responsibility.” New signing Samuel Eto’o started and Demba Ba was a second-half substitute, while Fernando Torres failed to make the bench.
Mourinho said he is confident of qualifying from Group E. “We lost three points that we must get somewhere. We must get them, in Basel, or Schalke, or Bucharest, or all of them or some of them,” he said.
-IANS
