|
ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Fernando Torres scored a valuable away goal for Chelsea in a 1-1 draw at Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, but the Premier League side left Istanbul frustrated at its failure to build on its superior start. Robert Griffin III Redskins Jersey . Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes. Aurelien Chedjou put the ball past goalkeeper Petr Cech in the 64th after connecting with Wesley Sneijders corner. "I wouldnt want to say thats a great result, we all now know what a strong team they are," Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard told British broadcaster Sky Sports. "So (Im a) little bit disappointed today really at halftime it wasnt more than one nil up. I think we played very well first half, we controlled it. "They didnt have any chances and we have about four or five very good counterattacks, and we didnt make more of them." Unlike Chelsea, Real Madrid is virtually certain of a place in the quarterfinals after Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo each scored a brace in a spectacular 6-1 victory at Schalke in the nights other game. By contrast, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was already bracing for his sides second leg match in west London on March 18. "They have very powerful strikers and we are going to have a difficult time at Stamford Bridge -- thats for sure," Mourinho said. The pre-match build-up centred on the Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba facing the team he won the Champions League with in 2012. But it was another former Premier League regular who played a key role as Chelsea took an early lead -- for the wrong reasons. Former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue was dispossessed too easily inside the Chelsea half, allowing Mourinhos side to launch a counterattack down the left flank. Andre Schurrle fed the advancing defender Azpilicueta, who cut the ball back for the unmarked Torres to side-foot into an open net. The hosts were leaving themselves too exposed, and unable to cause Chelsea many problems. The closest they came to levelling before the break was Izet Hajrovic sending a shot over the top. The winger, though, was substituted in the 31st, with Yekta Kurtulus coming on as coach Roberto Mancini responded to the poor start. "The game started and we did three of four mistakes," Mancini said. "Maybe in the first half we played too deep, with fear." But Chelsea would pay for not making the most of its confident start, with Ramires volleying over. Galatasarays defence looked as fragile at the start of the second half. Felipe Melos clearance went straight to Eden Hazard, who ran through the centre and released Torres. Although the striker broke through the defence, his shot was saved by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. "We had too much respect for Chelsea ... we should have played more offensively without problems like in the second," Mancini said. Galatasaray recovered from its shaky start and proved a much tougher opponent after the break. "We had chances to kill the game," Mourinho said. "Im not critical of my strikers because my strikers did a very good game, but overall when we go to counterattack situations we are missing the last pass, the last control, the last choice ... the second goal would have changed the story of the game." It never came. The woodwork did deny Galatasaray. Drogba headed down from Sneijders delivery to Selcuk Inan, who hit the post. But Mancinis side found the target barely a minute later. Sneijder swung in a corner from the left, Chedjou turned the ball in from close range after getting in front of Chelsea captain John Terry. "We probably deserved to score another goal," Mancini said. Indeed, Cech only spared Chelsea from travelling back to London needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit, by tipping over Alex Telles swerving shot after William gave the ball away. "We werent passing it like we was in the first half," Lampard said. "A few things were disappointing. Its one of those results -- you are kind of happy with it, but we have still got a lot of work to do." Russ Grimm Jersey . Bayern led second-place Leverkusen by 10 points with a game in hand, while Dortmund was another four points off the pace. Freiburg midfielder Felix Klaus scored in the last minute as his side twice came from behind to climb provisionally out of the relegation zone. Kirk Cousins Redskins Jersey . CSN New England reports that the team is interested in Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, whom they reportedly tried to acquire last off-season. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Rex Ryan got a kick out of receiving a bronzed Snoopy trophy for beating the Giants and winning the annual pre-season braggin rights with their long-time rival. "Thats awesome," Ryan said, holding up the trophy after the Jets 17-3 win on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. "...Ill tell you what, that thing looks good. Im glad we got it." The trophy is going to go on Ryans desk. The videotape of the game that was delayed two days by Hurricane Irenes march up the East Coast doesnt deserve such a prominent spot. There wasnt much that either Ryan or Giants counterpart Tom Coughlin could be happy about. The first-team offences werent good. The chippy game featured 16 penalties and the ejections of Giants halfback Brandon Jacobs and Jets defensive end Muhummad Wilkerson for a second-half skirmish. And there were just too many mistakes by both teams with the season less than two weeks away. Even Plaxico Burress first game against the Giants since his release from prison was a dud. No catches and a bad call on the pregame coin toss as the Jets sole captain. The positive was both teams played hard. The Jets prevailed because Mark Sanchez threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes, they intercepted Eli Manning twice, capitalized on two big special teams plays and got a goal-line stand by their second-team defence early in the second half. "I dont know if there are any tickets available for that Dec. 24 game, but I think we just sold them because that was a typical Jets-Giants slugfest right there," Ryan said. "It was a fun game, man. That was two good football teams going at it. Obviously, its a preseason game, but its great competition. The fireworks will fly Dec. 24, thats for sure." Rookie Bilal Powell had a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and Nick Folk added a late field goal in what probably will be the last major warmup for both teams starters before the regular season. The Jets (2-1) will face the Eagles here Thursday. The Giants (1-2), who got a field goal from Rhys Lloyd, finish their preseason at New England, also on Thursday. "There are things that we need to clean up, but we still have some time to do so," said Manning, who was 15 of 30 for 200 yards. "There are just some little things, but those things can add up. But thats what the preseason is for, and we still have a little time." The banged-up Giants also had defensive end Justin Tuck (stinger) and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka (groin) leave the game with injuries. Neither seemed serious. The Jets didnt appear to have any major injuries in the exhibition. Jets special teams guru Mike Westhoff saw his unit provide the key plays. Antonio Cromartie set up Holmes touchdown with a 70-yard kickoff return, and defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert blocked Lloyds field-goal attempt late in the third quarter with the Jets ahead 7-3. Lloyd had given the Giants a 3-0 lead with 5:00 left in the first half with a 34-yaarder. Leonard Hankerson Jersey. Cromarties big return came on the ensuing kickoff. The Giants seemed to fall asleep after Cromartie fumbled the ball in the end zone and Lloyd eventually ran him out of bounds at the 35. Sanchez needed only six plays to cover the distance, finding Holmes on a post pattern that beat good coverage by Corey Webster. Before the TD pass, Sanchez was 4 of 10 for 13 yards and it was clear he was not on the same page with his receivers. "In a rivalry game like this, we have to keep our cool and be sharp, but I was proud of the guys for playing through everything, staying strong and staying poised," said Sanchez, who finished 8 of 16 for 64 yards. The only thing the long-time rivals showed in the first half is their defences are ready for the regular season. "On the eye test, I thought we played pretty well," Tuck said. "There are some things to work on, but I feel were ready. Were getting more comfortable with our schemes and well be flying around there, when its time." The Giants outgained the Jets 224-73 in the half and trailed 7-3 because Manning could not capitalize after moving the offence to the Jets 27 on the opening drive. On a second and 10 from the 27, David Harris pressured Manning and his pass to Victor Cruz was too high and intercepted by Jim Leonhard. Harris got the other interception in the second quarter when Manning badly underthrew Ahmad Bradshaw while under pressure again. "First one, the ball floated on me a little bit," Manning said. "And the next one, that was on me. I should have just thrown it away." Manning and company jumped to a 3-0 lead, taking advantage when linebacker Clint Sintim recovered Sanchezs fumble at the Giants 39. Bradshaw made the big play, taking a dump-off pass and turning it into a 29-yard gain after running past linebacker Bart Scott. The Jets were 0 for 6 on third downs in the first half and didnt register their first first down until they got a favourable spot on a fourth-and-1 from their own 28 late in the first quarter. The Giants had a chance to retake the lead early in the third quarter against the Jets second-string defence when Manning drove them from their own 15 to the Jets 1. However, the Jets stopped D.J. Ware cold on a fourth-down attempt from the 1, on a play that normally would have been handled by Jacobs. The big-bruising back was not available because he has been ejected four plays earlier for trading what appeared to be slaps with Wilkerson. "We were gashing them the entire time," Giants left tackle Will Beatty said. "We were walking them down the field. So its not finishing a drive where you want to put the nail in the coffin and we didnt do that today." Gilbert blocked Lloyds 42-yard attempt with 1:13 left in the third quarter and rookies Greg McElroy and Jeremy Kerley-- playing the wildcat-- led the Jets 68-yard, 9-play drive that featured an unsportsmanlike penalty on Giants safety Deon Grant. ' ' ' |
