Alonso’s 86th-minute header gave Chelsea the edge

Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left back and wing back for Premier League club Chelsea Marcos Alonso’s 86th-minute header gave Chelsea the edge over hard-working Slavia Prague with a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final in the Czech capital on Thursday.

 

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The Spanish full-back ghosted clear in the box to nod home Willian’s teasing far-post cross, to hand the Blues the slender advantage midway through their quarter-final.

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Willian himself came close to scoring on 25 minutes but slammed his right-footed effort onto the crossbar.  Chelsea on the other hand came very close drawing their last-eight first leg tie at the Sinobo Stadium, the Blues struggling for fluency throughout the night in Prague.

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Alonso’s third goal of the season and second in the Europa League proved just enough for Chelsea but the Stamford Bridge men will hardly be happy with their performance.

 

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When Chelsea, who won the Europa League in 2012/13, managed to break the solid Slavia defence, it was through Willian on the left flank, but his ideas found little response from his teammates throughout the opening period.

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Chelsea will now be expect to complete the job and move through to the semi-finals. The Blues were relieved to prevail on the pitch. The best that Chelsea could master in a piecemeal first-half was Willian’s curled effort that struck the crossbar.

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If Chelsea’s first-half was flat, the opening to the second was little short of tetchy. The Blues’ glowering looks and gesticulations escalated amid increasingly raucous home support.