matić makes sporting pay as chelsea win in lisbon published: tuesday 30 september 2014, 22.40cet sporting clube de portugal 0-1 chelsea fc a 34th-minute header from nemanja matić earned chelsea's first win in group g and left sporting still waiting for theirs. by andy brassell from josé alvalade
• chelsea claim their first victory in uefa champions league group g • nemanja matić's scores the only goal on his return to lisbon • sporting lose their 16-match unbeaten home run in europe • marco silva's team unrewarded for second-half fightback • londoners stretch to one defeat in ten games streak against portuguese sides • next games: schalke v sporting, chelsea v maribor (21 october)
nemanja matić's first-half header was good enough for chelsea fc to take the points in an exciting and open contest with sporting clube de portugal.
returning to the portuguese capital, where he spent three years with sporting's local rivals sl benfica, matić's goal proved decisive as the 2012 winners missed a series of chances and ended up having to withstand a zesty fightback from the locals.
back in this competition after a four-year absence, sporting almost made the worst possible start. oscar sent diego costa clean through in just the second minute, but rui patrício spread himself superbly to deny the incredulous spain forward.
roared on by fervent home support, sporting came back, but oscar was proving difficult for sporting to track. the brazil midfielder was involved heavily again on the quarter-hour, when andré schürrle played a speedy one-two with him before the excellent patrício shut him out. schürrle, a constant threat, worked patrício twice more before dragging a shot wide as the goal beckoned from eden hazard's cross.
when chelsea finally did break through, it was from a source familiar to both sides. the blues' set-piece mastery was again in evidence as cesc fàbregas sent in a deep free-kick, with matić heading in at the far post, over rui patrício. sporting might have reflected that they were fortunate to be only one down at the break.
marco silva's men emerged for the second period re-energised, and nani sent an early warning that sporting weren't finished, firing wide of thibaut courtois' goal from distance. they continued to press but were almost caught on the break, when maurício's excellent last-ditch challenge was needed to stop costa. soon after, patrício rushed from his goal to smother the marauding oscar.
ıt almost proved a turning point, with nani finding the side netting from joão mário's pass seconds later. adrien silva then slashed a half-volley over from the edge of the area. josé mourinho brought on willian and john obi mikel to add more steel to his midfield. the experienced visitors took the sting out of the game and thus became the first english team to win here since cristiano ronaldo's manchester united fc in 2007.
