Moses the hero in dramatic Chelsea win

Chelsea 3 Shakhtar Donetsk 2

Victor Moses’ last-gasp winner gave Chelsea a dramatic victory – just as they were staring at the distinct possibility of failing to reach the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Their defence was caused all sorts of problems at Stamford Bridge, where Shakhtar Donetsk hit back with equalisers from Willian after first Fernando Torres and then Oscar had put Chelsea ahead.

Oscar showed brilliant technique to embarrass hapless keeper Andriy Pyatov and score from 35 yards to leave the Blues 2-1 up at the break.

But Willian’s second goal meant the European champions, who must still travel to Juventus, looked like having to settle for a point which would have left them third in Group E.

However, substitute Moses’ header from Juan Mata’s corner leaves them second, behind Shakhtar on goal difference, and a point better off than Juve, who beat Nordsjaelland 4-0.

Chelsea will therefore progress to the next stage if they win in Turin.

They made the perfect start against a team that can consider themselves desperately unlucky to have lost.

Torres opened the scoring in fortuitous circumstances after only six minutes.

Pyatov’s clearance following Raroslav Rakitskiy’s shoddy back-pass was charged down by the striker, with the ball ricocheting into the net.

Shakhtar equalised three minutes later – and there was nothing fortuitous about their goal.

The outstanding Fernandinho got the better of John Obi Mikel and Ryan Bertrand before pulling the ball back from the right for Willian.

And the Brazilian forward, consistently linked with a move to Chelsea, fired home from just inside the penalty area.

Roberto Di Matteo’s side then survived a scare when Bertrand headed Darijo Srna’s corner against his own post.

Shakhtar demonstrated the kind of slick, one-touch football which helped them beat Chelsea 2-1 in Ukraine a fortnight ago.

They again came close to going ahead when Fernandinho created another opening, this time finding Luiz Adriano who flicked the ball into the path of Alex Teixeira, whose low shot flew inches wide.

But Oscar’s brilliance – and another gaffe by Pyatov – enabled Chelsea to regain the lead.

Mata, who passed a pre-match fitness test along with David Luiz, aimed a cross towards Torres.

Pyatov raced from his goal to head away the Spaniard’s delivery and the ball dropped to Oscar, who chested down just outside the centre-circle and walloped a shot over the keeper and into the net.

Undeterred, Shakhtar were level again and back in control within a few minutes of the restart.

Again Willian found the target – and again Fernandinho was the orchestrator.

Fernandinho’s beautiful pass found Darijo Srna, who cut the ball back for Willian to score a carbon copy of his first goal.

The visitors continued to dominate and Bertrand, playing at left-back in place of the injured Ashley Cole, was given a torrid time on the flank throughout.

And Shakhtar’s own left-back, Razvan Rat, almost put his team ahead with a thumping 25-yarder which beat keeper Cech and hit the base of the post.

But Chelsea finished strongly, with Mikel heading in from a Mata free-kick but rightly being flagged for offside, before referee Carlos Carballo waved away appeals for a penalty after Ramires went down in the box under a challenge from Srna.

Mikel, who has not scored for five years, also went close with a late volley before Moses netted four minutes into injury time.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand, Ramires, Mikel, Hazard, Mata, Oscar (Moses 80), Torres (Sturridge 90).
Subs not used: Turnbull, Romeu, Marin, Terry, Azpilicueta

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