Blues progress despite dour draw

John Obi Mikel
12 April 2012

Chelsea squandered a plethora of chances but secured their progress to the Champions League quarter-finals with a goalless draw against FC Copenhagen at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues headed into the clash with the Danish champions boasting a 2-0 lead but fluffed a flurry of chances to secure victory in the round of 16 second-leg tie. Carlo Ancelotti's men rained in shots on the Copenhagen goal throughout the tie, but John Obi Mikel's header against the crossbar was the closest they came.

The visitors also rattled the woodwork through Dame N'Doye's stupendous free-kick, although resolute defending by the Londoners kept them at bay.

The tone for Chelsea's wasteful evening was set as early as the third minute when Frank Lampard sent Ashley Cole's cross wide from no more than four yards.

Although they could have been 4-0 down inside the opening quarter, Copenhagen were infinitely more sprightly than they had been in the first leg, before which they had not played a competitive match for three months.

Kitted out in hot pink jerseys, they almost made Chelsea pay for their wastefulness in the 26th minute. John Terry, who could be forgiven for being distracted by the England captaincy farce, brought down N'Doye 20 yards out and, despite being so close to goal, the Senegal striker managed to crash a brilliant free-kick against the post.

Chelsea's finishing failed to improve after the restart, Didier Drogba volleying Jose Bosingwa's whipped ball wide from six yards, Mikel nodding against the crossbar from no more than two yards and Nicolas Anelka twice hesitating when clean through and allowing Copenhagen's defence to recover.

Claudemir was booked for hauling back Ramires before Fernando Torres finally made his entrance midway through the half in place of a nonplussed Anelka who was withdrawn.

A wicked deflection almost helped the Spaniard make an instant impact and he also sent a low finish straight at Johan Wiland after Copenhagen lost Martin Vingaard to injury.

Torres was being urged to "shoot" by the crowd every time he got within range. The striker's team-mates did their best to tee him up but to no avail.

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