Match ends, Chelsea 3, Sporting Lisbon 1.
ChelseaChelsea3SportingSporting Lisbon1
- Chelsea win fourth group game
- Sporting miss out on knockout stages
- Schurrle scores on first-team return
- Debut handed to 18-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Chelsea rounded off their Champions League group stage with a fourth victory and denied Sporting Lisbon qualification for the knockout stages.
Cesc Fabregas put the home side ahead early on with a penalty after Filipe Luis had been fouled by Ricardo Esgaio.
Andre Schurrle doubled the lead soon after with a low right-foot strike.
Sporting pulled a goal back in the second half through Jonathan Silva, before John Mikel Obi tapped in from a Fabregas free-kick to secure the win.
With Chelsea already guaranteed qualification as group winners, Jose Mourinho made six changes to the side which lost 2-1 against Newcastle on Saturday, resting the likes of Willian, John Terry and Eden Hazard.
| Who has qualified for the knockout stages? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Winners | Runners-up | |
| Group A | Atletico Madrid | Juventus |
| Group B | Real Madrid | Basel |
| Group C | Monaco | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Group D | Borussia Dortmund | Arsenal |
| Group E | Bayern Munich | Manchester City |
| Group F | Barcelona | PSG |
| Group G | Chelsea | Schalke |
| Group H | Porto | Shakhtar Donetsk |
| Who's in and who's out: The story of the group stages | ||
However, he named a strong side with Nemanja Matic returning to midfield following suspension and goalkeeper Petr Cech captain in his third Champions League appearance of the season.
Among the substitutes was England Under-19 midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 18, who made his club debut replacing Fabregas in the closing stages.
Sporting - who began the night in second place in Group G and needing a draw to progress to the last 16 - were without on-loan Manchester United winger Nani, due to a thigh injury.
It wasn't long before Chelsea took the lead from Fabregas' penalty.
Filipe Luis was clumsily brought down just inside the area by Sporting right-back Esgaio and Fabregas slotted the ball down the middle past goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
Chelsea doubled their advantage as Schurrle collected a square ball from Matic 20 yards out, his driving right-foot strike finding the bottom left-hand corner of Patricio's goal.
Sporting gave themselves a lifeline moments after the interval when Silva's neat chest down and right-foot shot beat Cech low to his right from inside the penalty area.
But the home side's two-goal advantage was restored when Mikel got on the end of a Fabregas free-kick as Sporting failed to clear the ball across goal.
Sporting missed out on a place in the last 16 by a point after Schalke - managed by Champions League-winning Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo - won 1-0 away at Slovenian side Maribor.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho speaking on Sky Sports: "We were very focused and serious. I'm happy with that. I feel sorry for Sporting, I would have liked them to qualify.
"The win was important. It was a good reaction to losing at Newcastle and a good chance for players to have more minutes. I'm happy with many things we did.
"We have a good squad. It was a game without pressures - it was quite an easy game to play.
"Andre Schurrle is in my plans when he's in top form. He came back from Germany duty very ill. It's taken him time to recover. He needs to adapt better to the Premier League."
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Cech
- 28AzpilicuetaBooked at 87mins
- 5Zouma
- 24Cahill
- 3Filipe Luís
- 12Mikel
- 21Matic
- 14SchürrleSubstituted forSantos do Nascimentoat 74'minutes
- 4FàbregasSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 83'minutes
- 17SalahSubstituted forRemyat 71'minutes
- 19Diego Costa
Substitutes
- 2Ivanovic
- 7Santos do Nascimento
- 8Oscar
- 11Drogba
- 18Remy
- 33Beeney
- 36Loftus-Cheek
Sporting
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Rui Patrício
- 47Esgaio
- 26Rodrigues de OliveiraBooked at 90mins
- 3Dos Santos Nascimento
- 33SilvaBooked at 82mins
- 18Carrillo
- 14William CarvalhoBooked at 58minsSubstituted forMonteroat 61'minutes
- 23Adrien SilvaBooked at 79mins
- 11CapelSubstituted forCardoso Manéat 60'minutes
- 17João MárioSubstituted forSoares Martinsat 70'minutes
- 9Slimani
Substitutes
- 8Soares Martins
- 10Montero
- 22Boeck
- 24Rosell Argerich
- 29Sarr
- 36Cardoso Mané
- 81Geraldes de Barros
- Referee:
- Svein Oddvar Moen
- Attendance:
- 41,089
Match Stats
Home TeamChelseaAway TeamSporting
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 3, Sporting Lisbon 1.
Post update
Offside, Chelsea. Filipe Luis tries a through ball, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek is caught offside.
Booking
Paulo Oliveira (Sporting Lisbon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Mauricio.
Post update
Attempt blocked. André Carrillo (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jonathan Silva.
Post update
Corner, Sporting Lisbon. Conceded by Petr Cech.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jonathan Silva (Sporting Lisbon) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by André Martins.
Booking
César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).
Post update
Jonathan Silva (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jonathan Silva (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by André Carrillo.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Carlos Mané (Sporting Lisbon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Fredy Montero.
Post update
Foul by Gary Cahill (Chelsea).
Post update
Fredy Montero (Sporting Lisbon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Loïc Remy (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaces Cesc Fàbregas.
Booking
Jonathan Silva (Sporting Lisbon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Ramires (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Jonathan Silva (Sporting Lisbon).
