Mislav Orsic scored the game’s only goal as Dinamo Zagreb won a prestigious Champions League victory over a disappointing Chelsea. Dinamo Zagreb won and will be a dangerous opponent in the Champions League this season. Dinamo Zagreb was comfortable in possession when they had to sit back and take the pressure. Chelsea dominated possession but was slow and caught in defence by Dinamo Zagreb’s Mislav Orsic.
The Blues, who have lost half of their Premier League matches this season, started strongly but were undone by Mislav Orsic’s 13th-minute goal. After Zagreb grabbed the lead, Chelsea barely looked like equalising, but deadline-day addition Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a goal called out for offside on his Blues debut, and Reece James hit the post late on.
Wesley Fofana, Chelsea‘s biggest summer signing, has been accused for his involvement in Dinamo Zagreb’s 1-0 Champions League triumph over the Blues on Tuesday night. Orsic absolutely cooked Fofana, a £75 million purchase from Leicester City, who headed the ball past the 21-year-old and sprinted away towards goal before dinking the ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga. While manager Thomas Tuchel refused to blame anybody, BT Sport analysts Owen Hargreaves, Joleon Lescott, and Rio Ferdinand all believed Fofana was to blame for the goal and shown a startling lack of speed.
Chelsea’s dismal performance was unsurprising considering the club’s mediocre start to the Premier League season. The Blues have lost three of their first six league games and were fortunate to defeat West Ham last Saturday. Kovacic was the only Chelsea player who could keep his head up high. He was presented to cheers in his own country, and by the end, he was practically the only Chelsea player who deserved it. He was the only Chelsea player who accomplished anything in a dull first half, playing in a midfield two alongside Mason Mount. Kovacic wasn’t great, but he was solid enough to demonstrate how important he is to this Chelsea club despite all of the flashy new acquisitions.
Tuchel’s team has had a disappointing start to the 2022-23 season, and this is the latest setback. Tuchel told BT Sport. “We have a good start, but we don’t finish our half-chances, and we don’t feel it when the game is already over in the first 15-20 minutes.” Then we gave up one way too easy counter-attack, and we battled from there.” Too much to consider. It includes me. We certainly aren’t where we need to be or where we can be. So it’s up to me, up to us to find answers. Everything is currently missing.”
