Chelsea have recovered from an early missed penalty to get their Champions League campaign off to a positive start with a 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their Group G opener at Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho said before the match that his side had both eyes on victory over the Israeli champions despite enduring their worst start to a domestic season in 29 years, but they missed a golden opportunity to take the lead after just six minutes.
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Maccabi goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic was shown only yellow for bringing down Willian after former Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim's mistake, but Eden Hazard skied his penalty over the crossbar.
Any thoughts that such a let-off meant it was to be the visitors' lucky night were quickly quashed, however, as Willian followed up a dangerous ball into the box with a whipped free kick which beat everyone before sailing past Rajkovic for the opener.
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The visitors could have found a shock equaliser when Eran Zahavi broke Chelsea's high line but Maccabi's top scorer could only put his header over the bar instead of converting his eighth Champions League goal of the season.
They were made to rue that miss on the stroke of half time as Ben Haim was adjudged to have fouled Diego Costa and Oscar took over penalty duties from Hazard to double Chelsea's advantage on his return from injury.
Avi Rikan volleyed narrowly wide as the away side briefly threatened to mount a comeback after the break, but the hosts put the game to bed in stunning fashion after 58 minutes when Costa volleyed Cesc Fabregas's cross into the top corner for his first Champions League goal in Chelsea colours.
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Mourinho's men looked content to settle for the win after the third, and though they sat back they were never truly troubled by the visiting attack.
A lightning counter-attack saw them add a fourth with 12 minutes remaining as Hazard led the break before feeding Loic Remy, and though the striker's effort was saved, Fabregas was on hand to convert the rebound and wrap up a comfortable victory.
Tom Nightingale
