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Champions League: Betis edges Chelsea 1-0
First-half substitute Dani Martin scored three minutes after his entry into the match and gave Real Betis a 1-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:53 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Seville:
First-half substitute Dani Martin scored three minutes after his entry into the match and gave Real Betis a 1-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday, handing the London club its first loss in the Champions League. Dani scored in the 28th minute after replacing striker Ricardo Oliveira, who injured his knee from a tackle by Ricardo Carvalho. Dani received a pass from Jesus Capitan and evaded leftback William Gallas before shooting. Betis, beaten 4-0 at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago, improved to six points, one behind Chelsea and four behind Group G leader Liverpool. Anderlecht is last in the group having lost all four of its matches. "It was the perfect match for us to regain some self-esteem and gain three points which give us a chance in a tremendously difficult group. We did really well in terms of our attitude,'' Betis coach Llorenc Serra Ferrer was quoted as saying. Winless streak Chelsea's defeat extended its winless streak away from home in Champions League play to six. "We have nothing to argue with. We have no defense because the performance in the first half was too bad. Betis deserved the victory because of their attitude in the first half and how they defended in the second half,'' Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said. "We have to look at ourselves, to what didn't work, and try to sort it. We are a great team. We weren't a great team tonight but if we are a great team we have to return to our standards,'' the Portuguese added. Betis, which lies 17th in the Spanish league, was forced to make two substitutions in the first 25 minutes after injuries forced off defender Nano Rivas and Oliveira. Saving shots Chelsea rallied after Dani's goal with Betis goalkeeper Pedro Contreras saving shots from Joe Cole and Arjen Robben. Eidur Gudjohnsen, leading Chelsea's attack in place of Didier Drogba, blazed a good chance over the bar from a few meters in the 44th, although Dani then fired just wide after Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech had parried Edu's swerving shot. Mourinho replaced Cole and Gudjohnsen with Drogba and Shaun Wright-Phillips at halftime and then Damien Duff for Robben in the 65th, but Chelsea struggled to create chances. Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien hit both posts in the 72nd minute and had a goal disallowed five minutes later for a foul. But roared on by a passionate crowd, Betis withstood Chelsea's charge with captain John Terry moved to the forward line in the last 15 minutes. In the next round of matches on November 23, Chelsea visits Anderlecht, while Betis plays at Liverpool. (AP)Topics mentioned in this article
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