Roma take top spot in Group C after the Italian side took advantage of a defensive mess sealing a 3-0 win at the expense of Chelsea on Tuesday night.
A Stephan El Shaarawy brace and a Diego Perotti stunner sealed all three points for Roma as the Blues slipped to second in the group.
Chelsea travelled to Rome with confidence following their 1-0 victory away to Bournemouth on Saturday evening. Eden Hazard scored the winner early on in the second half but the Blues should have killed the game after missing an array of chances.
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It was a frantic start with Chelsea having the first sighting of goal. Tiemoue Bakayoko burst through the midfield to play a through ball into Pedro but the Spaniard scuffed his shot goal-wards and it was easy for Alisson to collect.
The Blues were made to pay for that early chance straight away. Former Manchester City left-back Aleksander Kolarov delivered a cross to Edin Dzeko who nodded it down, the ball fell to El Shaarawy on the edge of the box and the winger, outside of the foot, fired it straight past Courtois who had no chance to give Roma the lead inside the opening minute.
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Conte’s side continued to dominate possession and Morata had a glorious opportunity half way through the first half. The ball richoted off Pedro and fell to the Spaniard on the edge of the six yard box but Morata squandered the chance and blazed over the bar.
Chelsea were made to pay by a clinical Roma. They were warned when David Luiz failed to control the ball and allowed Dzeko to play a ball to El Shaarawy on the right hand side but the Italian failed to capitalise on the defensive error, drilling it straight at Courtois.
But then a minute later, former Roma defender Antonio Rudiger made a fatal error allowing the ball to bounce straight past him, and El Shaarawy made no mistake this time to double the home side’s lead. The visitors had all the ball and chances but another defensive error proved to be costly.
No changes were made at half-time as Chelsea looked to get back into the game.
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Edin Dzeko nearly made it three for the home side. Diego Perotti powerful run led to the Bosnian receiving the ball but fired over Courtois’ goal.
Willian on & Cahill, surprisingly, the man off. Pedro to RWB, Azpilicueta CB #cfc
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) October 31, 2017
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The Brazilian almost made an impact immediately latching onto a ball and giving it straight to Morata. The forward held it up well, turned and fired a shot just wide of the goal. The chances had been there for the Blues but still couldn’t take one of them.
The defending and shape of the Chelsea back line was made to look a mess soon after the third went in. All three defenders went with Dzeko, left Perotti open but he fired well over. The Blues got away with another.
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