Blues through as Oli rises to the occasion
OLIVIER GIROUD’S towering last-gasp header spared Chelsea’s blushes and handed the Blues a Champions League victory at Rennes.
Callum Hudson-Odoi struck early and Frank Lampard’s men appeared to be coasting until Serhou Guirassy’s late equaliser left the visitors ruing a host of missed chances.
World Cup-winner Giroud climbed off the bench to perform a dramatic rescue act, however, to seal Chelsea’s safe passage to the Champions League’s last 16 with two games to spare.
Giroud has been linked to a January exit as the 34-year-old aims to remain a France regular ahead of next summer’s European Championship.
But Chelsea boss Lampard remains hopeful the striker appreciates just how much he continues to relies on the former Arsenal man.
‘I think with Oli, it’s hard to say I won’t have to prove things to him, because all I have to do myself really is look game by game and try to plan to get the best for us,’ said Lampard.
‘At the moment Tammy [Abraham] is in great form as well, so I have to pick on face value to get the best for us.
‘I hope and I think Oli knows how much I’m happy with him and how much I rely on him in moments.’
Alfred Gomis must have thought he had sealed a point for Rennes when saving from Timo Werner, but then the home keeper’s parry looped high in the penalty box. Giroud reacted quickest and smartest to the high ball and buried a testing header to extend in-form Chelsea’s unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions.