Sparta Prague 1-0

Independent:
Simon Johnson

Chelsea began life in the Europa League with an unconvincing victory in Prague which did little to suggest that Rafael Benitez’s love affair with the club has much time left to run.
It took a sublime goal from Oscar to hand Chelsea an undeserved victory with eight minutes remaining and provide the only moment of quality in a dire game.
For the 1,200 Chelsea fans who made the trip, declarations of affection were in short supply on Valentine's Day. Instead, until Oscar lifted their spirits, they again aimed abusive chants in his direction.
Understandably, the former Liverpool coach was in a more positive mood and his team should book their place in the last 16 when the second leg takes place next Thursday.
Benitez said: "We have confidence, with a lot of respect for Sparta. At least we have scored the away goal."
The Spaniard also revealed the continuing problems with John Terry's recovery from a knee problem. "He had a set-back," Benitez said of his captain, who travelled but did not play. "After he was fine again. He had no reaction in the next training session.
"It's a vicious circle: if he cannot play, he cannot improve his match fitness. We have to manage. In the meantime if Cahill and Ivanovic are doing well at least we can keep winning games."
This game just showed how far Chelsea have fallen since they lifted the Champions League last May. They are now struggling to defeat second-rate opposition.
Even though Sparta Prague last played a competitive game on 6 December, any gap in quality between the sides was not evident.
One of the main reasons was striker Fernando Torres, who extended his woeful goal return to just one in his last 13 games.
In the 35th minute Juan Mata rolled the ball into his path with just the keeper Tomas Vaclik to beat and he scuffed his shot straight at him. He repeated the trick four minutes later, this time Frank Lampard the provider.
It always felt like a bit of an understatement when Benitez admitted before the game that having only one striker, Torres, available for the tournament was a "problem".
Near the end Torres sliced a shot so badly it went out for a throw-in and once again Benitez had the difficult job of defending him. He said: "Everybody expects a striker just to score goals, but he's also doing a great job for the team. His work-rate today was really good and thanks to him and the rest of the team, the second line could create." His rhetoric was unconvincing, just as Torres and the rest of his team-mates were.
At least they have Oscar. He showed the guile his team-mates had been lacking seconds after replacing Juan Mata by dancing through the Sparta defenders and rolling the ball into the bottom corner. Sparta never played with enough belief to cause an upset.
This display exposed how far the Champions League holders have fallen and that even the much-derided Europa League looks a step too high for them.

Man of the match Oscar.
Match rating 5/10.
Referee D Orsato (It).
Attendance 18,952.

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Guardian:

Oscar's quick intervention helps Chelsea to victory at Sparta Prague

David Hytner at the Letna Stadium

It is fair to assume that Valentine's Day has lost some of its sparkle for the few hundred Chelsea supporters who travelled to Prague for this tie. It had promised little, apart from the novelty of seeing the club in Europa League action for the first time, and the reality in the sub-zero temperatures was even bleaker.
Thank heavens for Oscar, the 82nd- minute substitute, who scored a lovely goal within seconds of his introduction, and for the interim manager RafaelBenítez, who will surely be hailed for what was a game-defining change. Or maybe not.
The devoted souls in the away enclosure had vented their irritation at Benítez during the second-half as they endured a desperately tedious encounter that looked set to be remembered for the further toils of Fernando Torres. But Oscar brought belated cheer and the prospect of serene passage in next Thursday's return in London, which stands to fulfil the stag do double-header with a last 16 meeting against Ajax of Amsterdam.
The Brazilian ran on from the touchline and almost immediately, he had swapped passes with Eden Hazard and showed his trademark balance and technique to swerve past his marker and open up the chance. His finish was left-footed, sweet and out of keeping with almost everything that had gone before it.
There had been plenty of time to ask searching questions. What were the European champions doing here, in front of 18,952 fans, in the week when the Champions League last 16 had enthralled us? What was anybody doing here? Did anybody care? For long spells, it seemed as though few people did. But Oscar's intervention created a rosy glow. It was the first time this calendar year that Chelsea had won back-to-back fixtures, after Saturday's home win over Wigan Athletic. Perhaps, there is something to build on.
Chelsea had flickered at the outset, with Hazard and Marko Marin getting into dangerous areas and the near sell-out crowd, who had pitched up for Sparta's biggest game in years and their first since 6 December and the Czech league's winter hibernation, did not exactly create a pulsating atmosphere.
But Chelsea came to show alarming defensive vulnerability and Sparta were the better team in the first-half. But for David Lafata's loose finishing, the story could have been different. The winter break signing from Jablonec blew the chance to mark his debut with a goal on 16 minutes, when he fastened unattended on to Tomas Zapotocny's cross. He lifted his shot over the crossbar.
Chelsea lived on the finest of margins and there were nervy moments in their backline, with Petr Cech also catching the bug. Ladislav Krejci went down inside the area after going shoulder-to-shoulder with César Azpilicueta; Lafata was pulled back for offside and Krejci was adjudged to have run the ball out of touch before his cutback for Vaclav Kadlec. Lafata also dragged another excellent shooting chance wide.
Torres was on the end of Chelsea's brightest moments in the first-half, which was annoying, given that he was in one of those moods when he looked disinterested and nothing would go right for him. Twice, Hazard crossed dangerously but Torres could not read his intentions and when Juan Mata opted to pass to him, rather than shoot when well-placed on the break, Torres' weak effort never threatened. The striker stubbed another shot before half-time.
Benítez's defence of Torres was the personification of stoicism. "We have to create more opportunities and then he will score more goals," he said. "His work rate was very good and thanks to him, the offensive line could create. His job was crucial to run and keep the defenders deep to make that space for the other players. Everybody expects a striker to score goals but he is also doing a great job for the team."
It was easy to feel the bitter cold and not only because of the lack of spirit-warming entertainment. Still, Benítez braved the elements in nothing more than a suit and shirt; he has long since eschewed the flak jacket. The first murmurs of dissent from the Chelsea fans came in the 53rd minute, when they told Benítez, impolitely, to leave, as he was not wanted. It has been the soundtrack to his interim tenure. Right on cue, Marin crossed and Torres failed to connect with his volley. It was deeply frustrating.
There was the usual vociferous support of Frank Lampard and the stand-in captain headed a half-chance at the goalkeeper Tomas Vaclikcorrect from Mata's cross. It was a rare moment of second-half enterprise and when Torres shot so far wide in the 71st minute that the ball went out for a throw-in, the evening felt complete. But there was a sting, when Oscar made his dramatic entrance.
Chelsea were more solid at the back in the second-half and Benítez felt that they showed better "concentration and intensity." Torres even finished by drawing a smart save out of Vaclik. The full-time whistle, though, came as a relief.


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Telegraph :

Sparta Prague 0 Chelsea 1: match report
Paul Kelso

It will take more than an inspired substitution for romance to bloom between Rafael Benítez and Chelsea’s fans, but on a freezing night in Prague a late winner from Oscar ensured that this loveless marriage of inconvenience remains intact.
The Brazilian scored within 45 seconds of being introduced as an 82nd-minute substitute, ensuring Chelsea avoided embarrassment as well as ignominy on a Europa Leaguedebut that saw them largely sink to the occasion. No reigning European Cup holders have competed in the Europa League before and Chelsea marked this unwanted slice of history with a display to match. This is a competition they never wanted to contest but Chelsea could not claim to be out of place, looking champions of Europe in name only.
The game looked destined for a goalless draw that would have done little for fragile confidence when Oscar intervened, exchanging a one-two with the otherwise hapless Fernando Torres and sliding the ball past Tomas Vaclik in the Sparta Prague goal. It brought relief to Benítez and the estimated 1,000 Chelsea fans who made the trip to Prague. It seems a long way to come to boo the manager but that did not stop them.
Unsurprisingly there was no chorus of approval after the Oscar substitution turned the game, but the jeers are unlikely to have any effect on Benítez. His three months at Stamford Bridge have proved beyond doubt he has a thick skin, a point he emphasised by spurning a coat on a sub-zero evening. While he claimed not to feel the cold he did admit to pleasure in the impact of his substitution.
“Normally you try to change things. [Juan] Mata was doing a great job but was a bit tired. We needed fresh legs and the quality of Oscar is pretty good because he made a difference.”
Benítez also maintained it was a competition worth Chelsea’s full attention. “It’s a competition we have to play now. It’s a European competition and we must realise we have an opportunity to win a trophy.”
Despite this commitment Benítez selected an under-strength team with Marko Marin and Ryan Bertrand replacing Oscar and Ashley Cole, and John Terry restored only to the bench because of a lack of match fitness.
Marin is an irregular starter but he was Chelsea’s brightest player in the opening period. His movement and link-up play offering the likeliest source of a breakthrough, but he was undermined by familiar failings elsewhere. Torres endured another evening to forget, and David Luiz’s absence through suspension robbed Chelsea of the midfield assurance that underpinned their 4-1 win over Wigan at the weekend, leaving the back four repeatedly exposed.
Sparta Prague had not played a competitive game since Dec 6 but there was no evidence of rust from the winter break. After weathering a brief early flurry from Chelsea, in which Frank Lampard drew a facile save from Vaclik, the Czechs were far the more threatening side. Had ­centre-forward David Lafata not proved just as ineffective as Torres they might have made Chelsea pay. With no control in midfield Chelsea were reliant on the counter-attack and their best move of the half almost brought them a barely-deserved lead.
Fortunately for the home side the final chance, after a neat combination between Marin, Eden Hazard and the returning Mata, fell to Torres. Presented with a clear shooting chance from around the penalty spot under minimal pressure the Spaniard froze, toe-poking the ball weakly towards goal. Worse was to come. Midway through the second half he managed to slice a half-volleyed shot out for a throw in.
At the start of the second half the Sparta fans unveiled a banner that declared their intentions for the return leg next week. “February 21st 2013 Sparta the brave 3,000” it read. After Oscar’s late winner Benítez and his anti-fan club will be less concerned about their arrival.

Match details
Sparta Prague (4-5-1): Vaclik; Zapotocny, Svejdik, Holek, Hybs; Kadlec, Husbauer (Bednar 85), Vacha, Matejovsky, Krejci; Lafata (Kweuke 76).
Subs Cech, Kweuke, Vidlicka, Polom, Janos. Booked Husbauer.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Bertrand; Lampard, Ramires; Marin (Benayoun 68), Mata (Oscar 82), Hazard; Torres.
Subs Turnbull, Cole, Ferreira, Terry, Ake. Booked Cahill.
Referee D Orsato (Italy).
Goal Oscar 82

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Mail:

Sparta Prague 0 Chelsea 1: Substitute Oscar makes instant impact to give Blues the lead
By Matt Barlow

A touch of brilliance from Oscar lifted Chelsea hearts on the most romantic day of the year and began the process of mending their broken relationship with European football.
This was the first time Roman Abramovich’s club had ventured abroad since the 3-0 defeat by Juventus in Turin which virtually sealed their exit from the Champions League and earned Roberto Di Matteo the sack.
It was an important win but far from impressive. For long periods, it was grim and, despite the pre-match talk, the London side were short of intensity and imagination. Those fans who made the trip to Prague turned their frustration in the second half on interim manager Rafa Benitez, who was unmoved on the touchline, refusing to pull a coat over his suit, even with temperatures below zero.
‘I’m quite agitated and don’t have time to be cold,’ he said with a smile.
One of his substitutions helped turn the game eight minutes from time. Oscar had been on the pitch a matter of seconds when he scored, a rare flash of artistry in a desperate game.
The Brazilian, on for Juan Mata, collected the ball deep in midfield, ran it through the centre, rapped a pass into the feet of Eden Hazard and continued his run. With a flick, Hazard returned the ball, and Oscar continued to glide through the defence to roll a cool finish inside the post.
It was not a similar goal but it rekindled memories of Chelsea’s last visit to Sparta Prague almost a decade ago in the first Champions League game of Abramovich’s era. That too was a dour affair, won by a William Gallas goal five minutes from time.
That was the start of the project and there have been times when it seemed the club had slipped back to square one.
For long spells on Thursday night, they seemed fragile, short of confidence. Not what you would expect from the champions of Europe.
It has been a bruising campaign and Benitez’s presence only irritates the situation. The strange thing is the former Liverpool boss is at his best in Europe, in cagey and tactical games like this.
His team selection seemed questionable, though it perhaps says more about the frailty of the squad than the man picking the team. Petr Cech played despite a broken finger, such is the faith in Ross Turnbull. Ashley Cole had a cold and took a breather to preserve his energy for Sunday’s FA Cup derby against League One Brentford at Stamford Bridge.
John Terry did not play either. He has started only twice under Benitez, who said the captain could be stuck in ‘a vicious  circle’ regarding his fitness. At times the team seem to cry out for Terry’s leadership.
The game limped through 53 minutes before visiting fans launched into the back catalogue of anti-Benitez songs.
Sparta were coming out of mid-winter hibernation after more than two months inactive. Would they be fresh or sleepy?
When Chelsea started with a positive flurry, it suggested the latter. Goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik saved from Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres saw a shot deflected over.
But Chelsea quickly wilted. Tomas Zapotocny sliced open the visiting back four to find  to David Lafata unmarked.  However, the striker volleyed over from 10 yards.
Lafata, the top scorer in Czech football, was making his Sparta debut having signed last month from Jablonec. He could have become an instant hero but wasted a further wonderful opening in the first half, screwing another shot wide.
Confidence seemed to drain from the European champions as the home team dominated, passing the ball freely.
Former Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky blazed a shot over and Cech reacted well to clutch Ladislav Krejci’s deflected drive.
Sparta’s superiority gave  Chelsea space on the break. Marko Marin, Hazard and Mata combined to set up Torres but his finish was feeble.
The £50million striker stabbed another effort which was easily saved by Vaclik. So was a diving header from Lampard, the first real chance of the second half.
As if to sum it all up, Torres sliced a first-time shot from 20 yards out for a throw. The Spaniard is deep into another of his regular barren spells, with just one goal in his last 13 games.
At least Oscar lifted spirits.Chelsea relaxed after taking the lead. Moments later, Torres burst clear and this time produced a powerful shot which Vaclik turned wide.
But this was a splendid result for Chelsea. Sparta travel to London for the second leg next week, when, even with their inconsistent home form, Chelsea should progress.


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Mirror:

Oscar winner: Chelsea supersub scores within a minute to earn Europa League victory in Prague
From Martin Lipton in Prague

No love for Rafa Benitez on Valentine’s Day. And the possible fall-out with John Terry might make things even tougher now.
As Benitez warned Terry he may spend even longer on the bench, his hate-affair with the Blues faithful ­deepened to another level.
Even a terrific winner by Oscar, which should see Chelsea through to the last 16 of the oft-maligned Europa League, failed to lift the mood as Fernando Torres’ stock falling yet further.
Oscar’s stand-out moment of quality came within 30 seconds of the Brazilian’s arrival from the bench, the South American exchanging with Eden Hazard before steering home with aplomb.
That aside, though, this was a joyless, soulless, miserable experience, for the players, the manager and the fans whose only delight, these days, is calling for Benitez’s head.
A decade ago, when the Roman Abramovich Champions League era began in the Generalli Arena with William Gallas scoring the only goal, it was the beginning of an adventure that reached its crowning glory in Munich.
Here, in a week dominated by Real Madrid against Manchester United, this was the brutal truth of how far Chelsea have fallen from the heights of the Allianz Arena.
A miserable display, nudging past a side which has not played a competitive game in two months and which should have been swatted aside like a fly.
Nothing, though, comes easy for Benitez’s Chelsea, with Torres the lightning rod for all the anger not directed at the manager himself.
Benitez was supposed to be the man to unlock Torres, to rediscover Chelsea’s £50million asset.
Yet the run of seven goals in six games before Christmas now feels like ancient history.
Since Boxing Day, Torres has scored just once - the late equaliser at Brentford - in 13 appearances.
For a top striker, that is pitiful and here it was far too easy to see why,
Torres’ shocking finishes, straight at home keeper Tomas Vaclik, when he was teed up by first Juan Mata and then Frank Lampard, epitomising everything that he is not doing.
Even worse, arguably, was Torres’ unwillingness to do what strikers should do, bust a gut to get on the end of balls played across the box, his lack of endeavour wasting the good approach work of Mata, Hazard and Marko Marin.
When a second half effort from 20 yards went out for a throw-in, it summed it all up, although, soon after Oscar’s goal, Torres did produce a driving run and strike pushed over the bar by Vaclik.
Not enough, by any means and Chelsea were grateful Sparta striker David Lafata was doing a passable Torres impersonation, blazing an unmarked volley over the bar and then missing the target when he had to do better.
While the absence of Terry did not matter this time, Chelsea were exposed far too often, far too easily, Cesar Azpilicueta given no defensive cover by Hazard, Ramires woeful in the middle.
Had Sparta shown any quality, Chelsea could have been really embarrassed.
As it was, with Chelsea offering only a weak Frank Lampard header until eight minutes from time, they had the opportunity for Oscar to steal the win.
It was a temporary plaster.
The wound is getting wider.
Chelsea look like a team losing faith in themselves.

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Sun:

Mark Irwin

RAFA BENITEZ struck Oscar gold in Prague but was still left looking for love on a freezing Valentine’s Day.

An inspired substitution by the interim boss ensured Chelsea’s first venture into the Europa League ended in a win.

Yet it still was not enough to earn Benitez any hearts and flowers from travelling Blues supporters, who serenaded the Spaniard with far from romantic suggestions about their long-term relationship.

Almost three months into the job, Benitez has long since given up hope of winning over his critics.

But at least he bought himself some breathing space with Chelsea’s first back-to-back victories this year.

For more than 80 minutes the fallen European Champions stumbled and fumbled their way through the match.

But then on came Oscar for Juan Mata and within seconds the Brazilian swapped passes with Eden Hazard before scoring with a low shot.

That was Chelsea’s 101st goal of the season and means they are now odds-on favourites to finish the job in next week’s return leg at Stamford Bridge.

But Benitez still has a job convincing his players and the fans this is a trophy worth winning.

This marked Chelsea’s eighth different competition of the season and probably the one they least wanted to participate in.

It was certainly a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show for the barely few hundred fans who made the trip to the Czech Republic.

Benitez, who did not wear a coat to protect himself against the elements, reckoned he was too focused on the game to feel the cold.

Maybe his skin is even thicker than we all thought.

For Sparta, this was their first game since the Czech League stopped for its mid-winter break on December 6 — during which time Chelsea have played 16 times.

Yet there was no sign of rustiness from the hosts who had been gearing themselves up for weeks for the shot at claiming a famous scalp.

They suffered a couple of early scares when Hazard fired the ball across the face of goal.

But the danger soon switched to the other end of the pitch.

David Lafata had a 15th-minute opportunity to pile on the problems for Chelsea but the Czech League’s 13-goal top scorer fired over.

A second chance fell Lafata’s way just before the interval but he again failed to hit the target.

Petr Cech, nursing a broken finger on his left hand, looked uncharacteristically nervous in his first game against his former club since leaving Prague for Rennes in 2002.

Then again, playing behind a back four as shaky as the Blues’ would give any keeper the jitters.

With John Terry left on the bench and Ashley Cole struggling with a cold, Chelsea were vulnerable to the counter-attack.

Of far more concern were the continuing struggles of Fernando Torres, who looked disinterested.

He had the best chance of the night but toe-poked a half-hearted shot straight at keeper Tomas Vaclik from Mata’s 35th-minute pass.

But that was better than his 71st-minute effort from the edge of the box that went out for a throw-in.

The problem for Chelsea is that with Demba Ba cup-tied, Torres is their only eligible striker.

Maybe they should just write this one off now and concentrate on winning the FA Cup again.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN - EDEN HAZARD(Chelsea)

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 7, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, Bertrand 6, Ramires 6, Lampard 6, Marin 7 (Benayoun 5), Mata 7 (Oscar 7), Hazard 8, Torres 5. Subs not used: Turnbull, Cole, Ferreira, Terry, Ake. Booked: Cahill.