Chelsea blew their chance to finish top of Champions League Group H as Magomed Ozdoev’s stoppage-time equaliser forced the holders to settle for a dramatic 3-3 draw at Zenit Saint Petersburg on Wednesday.
Thomas Tuchel’s side had already qualified for the last 16 and were hoping to take first place to theoretically secure an easier draw in the knockout stages.
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They were just seconds away from achieving their aim when Ozdoev fired home to leave Chelsea two points behind group winners Juventus.
Werner had put Chelsea ahead after 84 seconds with his club’s fastest ever Champions League goal.
Claudinho equalised and Sardar Azmoun handed Zenit the lead before halftime.
Romelu Lukaku, making his first start since suffering an ankle injury against Malmo in October, equalised with his first goal in 11 club games since the Chelsea striker netted against Zenit in September.
Werner looked to have won it with five minutes left, but Ozdoev’s last-gasp goal added to Tuchel’s mounting problems.
After Chelsea’s damaging 3-2 defeat at West Ham knocked them off the top of the Premier League on Saturday, this was another setback for the Blues.
A long flight and temperatures well below zero made it a gruelling trip for a team already running on fumes and a return trip to Saint Petersburg for the Champions League final in May must seem a long way off for Tuchel’s spluttering team at present.
With N’Golo Kante still absent due to a knee injury, Jorginho unavailable because of a nagging back problem and Mateo Kovacic testing positive for the coronavirus this week, Chelsea’s midfield was in tatters.
Tuchel made eight changes from the West Ham game, with Edouard Mendy replaced by Kepa Arrizabalaga after the Chelsea keeper’s costly mistake against West Ham.
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