Chelsea let two goal lead slip

20Sep 2012

Bajnokok Ligája

Chelsea started the defence of their Champions League crown with an entertaining 2-2 draw with Juventus at Stamford Bridge this evening.

Brazilian youngster Oscar - given the nod in the starting line-up ahead of Juan Mata - opened the scoring just after the half hour mark when his long-range deflected shot found the back of the net. And just two minutes later the same player made it 2-0 thanks to another superb long-range effort.

Chelsea's play arguably didn't merit a two goal advantage and perhaps justice was done when it was reduced to just the one, Arturo Vidal scoring a fine goal just before the interval.

Oscar was backed at 20.00 in the First Goalscorer market, whilst he was also matched at 55.00 to score two goals or more. The 2-1 Half Time score was matched at a massive 180.00 In-Play.

The second half began with Juve pressing for an equaliser but it wasn't until the last 10 minutes that the Italian champions achieved their aim, Fabio Quagliarella breaking the offside trap and blasting home past Petr Cech.

The 2-2 Correct Score was backed at a high of 36.00, whilst The Draw was backed at no higher than 11.00.

Manchester United recorded a narrow home victory against Galatasaray thanks to an early Michael Carrick goal.

The Turkish champions could easily have been awarded a penalty inside the first 30 seconds but it was the home side that took the lead on seven minutes after a neat exchange between Carrick and Shinji Kagawa; the United 'defensive' midfielder rounding the keeper and slotting home to reward his 44.00 First Goalscorer backers.

The game was played in an open fashion and Galatasaray enjoyed many chances, but they failed to convert and could easily have went further behind when the home side were awarded a penalty early in the second half. Nani failed to convert however and United held on.

The 1-0 Correct Score was matched at 18.50, and the Under 1.5 Goals option was backed at 17.50 when United took an early lead. A Penalty Taken was matched at just 4.60.

Elsewhere Barcelona came from 2-1 down to beat Spartak Moscow 3-2, that man Lionel Messi the match winner, whilst Celtic were held to a 0-0 at home to Benfica.

Barcelona remain the 3.60 favourites to win this season's Champions League, just ahead of Real Madrid at 5.00 and Manchester United at 11.00. Defending champions Chelsea can be backed at a generously high 17.50.