Blues feel the pain in Spain
Jose Mourinho’s men have now failed to win on their travels in this competition for more than a year and they were undone once more by an ordinary Betis side currently fourth from bottom in La Liga.
A first-half goal from the left boot of substitute Dani put Chelsea to the sword in Seville after the jittery Blues defence had failed to deal with Capi’s cross and a clever dummy from Edu that left William Gallas flatfooted and confused.
Victory would have put Chelsea in the knockout stages but would have been an injustice on the home side, who had the better of the first half despite losing top scorer Ricardo Oliveira through injury in the 24th minute.
Mourinho admitted his side were deservedly beaten: “We have nothing to argue with, we have no defence because the performance in the first half was too bad.”
“Betis deserved the victory because of their attitude in the first half and how they defended in the second half.”
He added: “We have to look at ourselves, to what didn’t work, and try to sort it.
“We are a great team. We weren’t a great team tonight but if we are a great team we have to return to our standards.”
Betis are now just one point behind the Londoners who may need to win both games to ensure qualification.
Ever since Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge, his penchant for team rotation had served him well, but the inclusion of Eidur Gudjohnsen in attack at the expense of Didier Drogba was a baffling one.
Betis’ hopes of causing something of an upset appeared to have evaporated in the first half when Nano was replaced by Paulo Castellini and Oliveira was stretchered off under a challenge from Ricardo Carvalho.
In the 28th minute, though, Betis were in front when a low cross from Capi evaded the Chelsea defenders and after Gallas had been fooled by Edu’s dummy, substitute Dani placed the ball under Petr Cech.
Betis were controlling midfield and for once Lampard and his cohorts were out-thought and out-fought - a rare occurrence at any level since Mourinho took charge last year.
In the 39th minute Chelsea wasted a golden opportunity to level when Gudjohnsen sliced the Betis defence open with a pass to Cole.
The England international’s shot, however, was well saved by Pedro Contreras to maintain the home side’s slender advantage.
However, he tried his luck with a long-range effort after exchanging a clever one-two with Essien on the edge of the Betis penalty area, and brought a fine save from Contreras.
Gudjohnsen wasted a fine chance to equalise when he was put clear of the defence by John Terry but the normally deadly Icelandic striker fired over with just Contreras to beat.
Dani’s goal was the first the Londoners had conceded in the competition this season and Mourinho had every right to be appalled by their first-half display.
In the 65th minute Mourinho played his final card - bringing on fit-again Duff for Robben.
The home crowd were beginning to sense a victory that would leave them just a point behind their opponents in Group G.
In the 74th minute, Chelsea were desperately unlucky not to equalise when Wright-Phillips crossed only to see Essien’s shot strike both posts before rolling into the arms of the Betis goalkeeper.
Mourinho put defender Terry up front in the final 15 minutes but it was to no avail as the Blues again failed to succeed away from home in Europe.
: Contreras, Varela, Juanito, Nano (Castellini 20), Melli, Joaquin, Rivera, Arzu, Edu, Capi (Fernando 84), Oliveira (Dani 25).
: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole (Wright-Phillips 46), Gudjohnsen (Drogba 46), Robben (Duff 65).
: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg).
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