HEADIN’ HAZARD
It’s Eden to the rescue with rare header as Man City old boys haunt Conte’s men
CHELSEA just cannot escape the spectre of Manchester City. Crushed in the Premier League by the league leaders two weeks ago, Antonio Conte’s side were undone here in the Champions League by two City old boys. Conte really has a job on his hands. After two successive defeats, normal service looked to have been resumed for the Italian as half-time approached. Goals from David Luiz and Eden Hazard had put them 2-0 up and in control. Then Aleksandar Kolarov hit a fine, if fortuitous first goal and Edin Dzeko struck twice. Chelsea threw this away. Add a stroppy Luiz, who disappeared down the tunnel after being substituted, and those dark clouds are gathering again over Conte. He so needed a win. For morale as much as the points. Especially with Carlo Ancelotti tweeting pictures of himself at Stamford Bridge pre-match. Conte hoped to take advantage of Atletico Madrid’s slip-up at Qarabag hours earlier. Also to reassure fans concerned that an ill wind could swell into a storm. But it was Roma having to batten down the hatches early on. Chelsea started quickly and took the game to their in-form visitors with Luiz drawing first blood. The Brazilian arrived to support an 11th-minute attack, at first trying to thread the ball to Alvaro Morata – pressed straight back into service after his hamstring injury three weeks ago. The ball was cut out by Juan Jesus, but the defender could do nothing about the vicious drive as Luiz went for goal himself. The effort curled around keeper Alisson Becker and nestled in the bottom corner. Chelsea may have led, but Roma looked dangerous. Radja Nainggolan, the midfielder Conte tried and failed to buy this summer, forced a fabulous save from Thibaut Courtois on the half hour. The Belgian raced in on the blind side off Marcos Alonso to rifle in a shot that Thibaut Courtois kept out with his legs. Eusebio Di Francesco’s side may be fifth in Serie A, but they had won five and lost only one of their previous six games. Although they have finished in the top three of their domestic league in each of the past four seasons, they have struggled in the Champions League. So they too needed to attack this game with the vigour they showed here. Chelsea have not looked the same side since pulling off their best European result for years to beat Atletico Madrid in Spain. But they heeded the warnings. Morata’s attempted shot, eight minutes before the break, looped off former Spurs defender Federico Fazio and Hazard made no mistake. Then Kolarov struck back, ghosting between Davide Zappacosta and Cesar Azpilicueta to send a deflected effort past Courtois. Roma smelled blood. Diego Perotti’s reverse pass played in Kolarov. His cross was kept out by Courtois with his legs. From Fazio’s ball over the top in the 64th minute, Dzeko (left) volleyed in a sublime equaliser. Dzeko then headed in Kolarov’s 70th-minute free-kick unchallenged. Hazard rescued a point with his second on 75 minutes, heading in Pedro’s cross, but this was shambolic from players capable of better.