Chelsea edges Benfica in narrow Champions League win

Chelsea got their first UEFA Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benfica at Stamford Bridge, securing three crucial points despite being reduced to 10 men late in the game. 

The game saw former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho return to Stamford Bridge after his appointment as Benfica manager. 

The decisive moment of the game came in the first half when a Richard Ríos own goal gifted the Blues the advantage, which they managed to protect under intense pressure.

The Portuguese side created several openings throughout the match but failed to convert their chances. Benfica pressed for an equaliser in the second half, with Jose Mourinho urging his players forward on his return to Stamford Bridge.

However, Chelsea’s resilience at the back and a disciplined defensive display kept the visitors at bay. The contest grew increasingly scrappy in the closing stages, with both sides guilty of misplaced passes and rash challenges.

Chelsea’s performance lacked fluency, but the importance of grinding out the win for Enzo Maresca’s side could not be understated.

Meanwhile, drama unfolded in the final minutes when Joao Pedro, who had come off the bench for Chelsea in the second half, was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. 

His dismissal left the hosts to finish the match with 10 men, but Benfica were unable to make their numerical advantage count.

Chelsea held firm under late pressure as the visitors continued to waste chances. Benfica’s profligacy ultimately proved costly, with their failure to find the net despite several promising attacks leaving Mourinho frustrated on the touchline.

The win is Chelsea’s first in the Champions League since March 2023 and helped end a poor sequence of results in the month of September.

Chelsea’s other victory was in the EFL Cup at League One Lincoln and provides Enzo Maresca some breathing space before Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Liverpool.