A strike in a million
Published : Apr 12, 2008 00:00 IST
Kazim put the sparkle into Fenerbahce as he plundered his first goal for the club. Then came the blow from Deivid that rocked Chelsea to their core, writes David Hytner.
Chelsea only have themselves to blame. Having walked tall in one of Europe's footballing cauldrons, they had the opportunity to move this quarterfinal tie beyond the reach of Fenerbahce, the exciting if slightly raw champions of Turkey.
Although the goal that gave the visitors the lead carried a slice of fortune, Deivid diverting into his own net, it represented fair reward for the team's nerveless start and laid the foundations for a first-half siege. Yet, Chelsea passed up a fistful of chances and were left to lament their profligacy.
The tide turned in the second-half, following the introduction of Kazim Kazim, the forward better known to English audiences as Colin Kazim-Richards, from his stints at Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United. He was once nicknamed the Coca-Cola Kid after a Brighton fan won a competition sponsored by the soft-drink firm to secure transfer funds for his club. Albion spent the �250,000 on Kazim, a Londoner by birth who qualifies for Turkey through his Turkish-Cypriot mother.
Kazim, who has altered his name to fit his new surrounds, put the sparkle into Fenerbahce and plundered his first goal for the club. Then came the blow that rocked Chelsea to their core, a 35-yard strike in a million from Deivid. The Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini clutched at thin air and sensed the top-corner of his net swelling.
"I don't know what to say," said Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, as he digested not only the amazing turnaround but the first goals his team had conceded in seven Champions League fixtures and their first reverse of the European season. "We deserved to be three or four up, then we go to sleep and concede a goal and then we lose from 25 metres. Normally this is not a bad result because we scored away from home but it doesn't feel like that. I just can't believe we didn't win. We certainly deserved to."
Grant remained confident that progress could be smoothed into the semifinal � Fenerbahce might boast a 100% home record but they have been less impressive on their Champions League travels � yet the potential for a seismic shock has been fuelled.
"There is one truth," said Zico, the Brazil legend and Fenerbahce manager. "And that is that Chelsea have to come forward in the second leg to beat us. This is an advantage for us because we are a team that always looks for goals." There was no evidence of Fenerbahce's offensive potential in the first-half, only Chelsea's fluent movement which helped to fashion a glut of chances. Their goal came when Florent Malouda, who played for the first time since the FA Cup debacle at Barnsley, crossed low and hard and, to his horror, Deivid sent the ball skidding past his helpless goalkeeper Volkan Demirel at the near post. Chelsea promptly went for the jugular and only the woodwork, loose finishing and Volkan's reflexes stopped them from becoming unassailable.
Michael Essien advanced from his unfavoured right-back role to clip the top of the bar from 25 yards and after Didier Drogba had powered a header wide, the Ivorian striker rolled Gokcek Vederson and lashed high for the near top corner. Volkan turned smartly behind. Just before the interval, Drogba hared on to Michael Ballack's through-ball and was only denied by Volkan's bolt from his penalty box. Zico denied that he feared the worst at half-time. "I always tell my players that as long as they breathe, they are alive," he said. However, the crowd, who made the senses tingle at kick-off with the ferocity of their chanting, needed something to spark them, in what was arguably the biggest game in the club's history. Never before have Fenerbahce advanced so far in Europe's elite competition.
Kazim provided it. After Ballack had drawn a smart save from Volkan on the counter-attack, and with Fenerbahce having established a foothold in the game, the crowd lost themselves in frenzy when Kazim struck with fairytale timing. The 21-year-old fastened on to a pass from Mehmet Aurelio, leaving Ricardo Carvalho in his wake, to crash a left-footed finish past Cudicini.
Grant lamented a miss by Ballack almost immediately � the German midfielder shot too close to Volkan when well placed � but the pendulum had swung abruptly. Grant replaced Frank Lampard, who had been prominent, to the midfielder's chagrin, as Fenerbahce sensed the writing of the latest chapter in their remarkable campaign.
Kazim almost created a goal, his weighted cross from the right picking out Deivid, unmarked at the far post. He miskicked but when a longer shot at redemption presented itself, his aim was unerring. "If you cannot make the score you want, it's because you cannot take your chances," said Zico. "We took ours."
©Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008The ResultsApril 2: Arsenal 1 (Adebayor 23) drew with Liverpool 1 (Kuyt 26). Half-time: 1-1; Fenerbahce 2 (Kazim-Richards 64, Deivid 81) bt Chelsea 1 (Deivid o.g. 13). Half-time: 0-1.
April 1: Roma 0 lost to Manchester United 2 (Ronaldo 39, Rooney 66). Half-time: 0-1; Schalke-04 0 lost to Barcelona 1 (Bojan 12). Half-time: 0-1.