It took time for the Blues to find a crack in the Salzburg defence in this Champions League group stage game despite pushing our opponents well back during a one-sided first half, but Sterling wasted little time in the second period to expertly despatch his first European goal for his new club

Kepa, continuing in goal, had made one smart save at the end of the first half but had largely been untested apart from that. Disappointingly for Chelsea who had continued to dominate after the interval, Noah Okafor made the most of a 75th-minute counter-attack down the flank to level the scores and leave Chelsea with plenty to do in this group-stage campaign.

Our 72 per cent of the ball had yielded four shots on target and seven others off. A second goal either before or after the leveller would most likely have won it, but that proved elusive.

The selection

Three changes were made from the previous Champions League game eight days ago with Potter opting for a back-four defence at times, but a three with Reece James and Raheem Sterling providing width on the wings when attacking. It had skipper Cesar Azpilicueta as one of the defenders, alongside Thiago Silva who was rested from the last game, and Marc Cucurella, meaning no place for summer signings Wesley Fofana or Kalidou Koulibaly.

Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic were the deeper midfielders, and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on his own up front, Kai Havertz was a link with Mason Mount.

Our visitors, who initially made two changes from their draw at home to AC Milan, were forced into another when striker Fernando was injured during the warm-up, replaced by Benjamin Sesko.

Shortly before kick-off there were tributes to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, with a minute’s silence observed and Chelsea Pensioners laying wreathes. Fans had banners and flags at the Shed End and the Salzburg supporters paid their respects too.

Pressing for breakthrough

Defeat in Zagreb on matchday one a week ago had placed even more importance on this first home game of the Champions League campaign. Add to that the spotlight shone by it being Potter’s first game in charge and it was a group game of real significance and interest. Chelsea started briskly.

After a shot from Havertz, on his 100th appearance, was blocked, Aubameyang, who in turn was making his home debut, shot over. Further Mount and Havertz attacks kept the pressure on.

Sterling was taking up a wide position on the left, with Aubameyang and Havertz offering a more central threat, but the England international did pop up in the box after a James cross evaded the others, but his way to goal was blocked.

The Blues fans gave thanks to the departed Thomas Tuchel in song and applause when the minute was reached that matched the year of the Champions League triumph under him.

Despite Chelsea in tonight’s game making all the running and playing at a good pace, we were reaching half-an-hour played still seeking a breakthrough. James did his best to remedy it by superbly rolling his marker Pavlovic but his powered cross was ahead of the blue shirts racing towards goal.

The next James cross was met by a team-mate, but Sterling’s shot hit the back of a defender. Then Mount volleyed wide as the chances came quickly, annoyed with himself about his miss from the edge of the area.

Kepa called upon

It took until 39 minutes played but Salzburg did test our goalkeeper once in the first half, when Sesko’s low curler was pushed wide by a good save.

In the last minute of the half, Kovacic was claiming handball when his header from an Aubameyang cross was stopped but if it was reviewed, it was decided Bernardo’s arm had been in a natural position. The teams went in still level at the break.

Rapid Raheem

The signs of such a goal had been there in the first half and it took until just the third minute of the second half for Sterling to break Salzburg resistance.

Again the ball came in from the right flank, Mount the supplier this time, and when a close-by defender meant Aubameyang did not meet the ball, Sterling took possession of the left again. This time he had some space and after one touch, the 27-year-old curled it beyond the reach of Philipp Kohn and into the far side of the Matthew Harding End net.

As a second goal was sought, Potter sent on Armando Broja and Ruben Loftus-Cheek with plenty of time left to play. The Albanian international had a run at goal almost immediately from a Kovacic pass, but sent it wide. The offside flag was up anyway.

Lead let slip

Salzburg striker Okafor thought he should have done better than his tame header at Kepa when a cross came his way, but the same player did put the Austrians level before the end.

The Blues were left to regret losing the ball high up the field and then Thiago Silva proving unable to stop Adamu’s run with a sliding tackle closer to goal. Okafor was there in the middle to turn the cross home.

As Chelsea attempted to recover quickly, Loftus-Cheek was felled wide on the edge of the area. The free-kick was worked well by Cucurella to tee-up James but the shot was disappointingly high from such a clean striker of the ball.

Kohn then did well to stop a close-range flick from substitute Hakim Ziyech who later headed a cross straight at the keeper with time running out. In added time, Broja came within inches of finding the net with a rocket of a shot, but it agonisingly cleared the crossbar.

The state of Group E

With AC Milan beating Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 in an earlier kick-off today, they now lead our group with four points ahead of Dinamo on three, Salzburg on two and the Blues with one after two games played.

What’s next?

With the originally scheduled weekend game against Liverpool postponed, the break in club football ahead of the internationals comes even earlier for Chelsea. We resume on 1 October with a visit to Crystal Palace.


Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Kepa; Azpilicueta (c) (Ziyech 81), Thiago Silva, Cucurella; James, Jorginho, Kovacic (Gallagher 81), Sterling (Pulisic 84); Mount, Havertz (Loftus-Cheek 66); Aubameyang (Broja 66).

Unused subs Bettinelli, Chilwell, Chalobah, Fofana, Koulibaly, Chukwuemeka, Zakaria.

Scorer Sterling 48

Booked James 79

Salzburg (4-3-1-2): Kohn; Dedic, Bernardo, Pavlovic, Ulmer (c); Capaldo, Seiwald, Kjaergaard (Gourna-Douath h-t); Susic (Kameri 70); Sesko (Adamu 70), Okafor (Koita 85).

Unused subs Mantl, Walke, Van Der Brempt, Piątkowski, Baidoo, Simic, Diarra.

Scorer Okafor 75

Booked Adamu 76, Pavlovic 77, Ulmer 78, Capaldo 89
Referee Ivan Kruzliak from Slovakia

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