Live Commentary
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That's HALF TIME at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea are cruising at 3-0 thanks to goals from Remy and Terry either side of a Drogba penalty. It's been very easy for the hosts and they should have the points in the bag.
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45'Fabregas moves the ball on to Hazard, who flicks a wonderful pass out to Ivanovic. The defender tries to return it straight away but Suler just about manages to cut the ball out as we enter one added minute at the end of the half.
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44'IVANOVIC SHOULD SCORE!! Moments after Bohar almost gets in behind but is caught offside, Ivanovic and Hazard link up on the right again. Hazard plays it low to the near post and Handanovic's parry falls straight to the Serbian, who should score but can only scoop it over the bar.
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43'Zouma finds Ivanovic in yet more space down that right-hand side, and the full-back tries to fire in another cross but it's deflected behind for a corner to the hosts.
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41'Terry is down in pain after a hefty barge from Ibraimi. The Chelsea skipper is soon back up and looks thoroughly unimpressed with his opponent's challenge.
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40'The hosts win a corner as another Drogba cross is blocked. Fabregas' cross is poor and well cleared but the hosts come back. Matic's teasing ball isn't dealt with well by Handanovic before Chelsea return through Hazard, who goes up a gear to move across the area and shoot low, but Handanovic has an easy save to make.
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39'Chelsea move it around sumptuously once more, with Hazard, Fabregas and Oscar all involved. It's worked wide to Drogba, whose cross falls between two men and Maribor are able to clear through Rajcevic.
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37'Ivanovic and Hazard link up once again and the Serbian lays off to his team-mate before moving into the box himself. Hazard can't get past his man, though, and runs it out for a goal kick.
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36'If the hosts continue to dominate this, you get the sense Mourinho will haul some players off at the break, with a trip to Manchester United on Sunday at the back of his mind.
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35'Maribor are really struggling to cope with Chelsea's movement and runs behind the defence. Suler only just cuts out Fabregas' attempt to find Hazard; Chelsea were a toe's length from being in on goal again.
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33'Hazard causes all sorts of problems as he gets into the box and turns Suler inside out, before trying a cheeky cross from behind his own leg. It hits the Maribor defender, though, and the visitors eventually survive as they get a goal kick.
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32'Well, that goal should not have stood. Terry was offside when Fabregas swept it across the box. But it stands and Chelsea, you would think, are out of sight after only half an hour.
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31'Assist Cesc Fàbregas
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31'Goal John Terry
TERRY MAKES IT THREE!! A WONDERFUL MOVE!! Drogba's clearance from that corner sets Hazard away, and the Belgian moves towards the box before slotting Fabregas through. The Spaniard plays it across the area and Terry - of all people - is there to tap it in from close range. A fantastic counter! -
30'Finally a decent chance for the visitors to push forward in numbers as Ibraimi wins a corner, but the short routine doesn't work and the hosts get it clear.
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29'Chelsea are really threatening the visitors at the moment, and Willan's cross is half cleared before Fabregas turns on the edge of the box and sees his low effort deflected away. This could be a rout if the Slovenians aren't careful.
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28'Luis has space on the left and plays an early ball into the box. Drogba runs across the defender and manages to get the first touch, but it's too heavy and it runs out for a goal kick.
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27'Hazard does well to hold off Stojanovic before firing a wonderful ball across the pitch looking for Drogba. Suler does well to cut it out, though, before the visitors break up the other end in a move which ends with a simple save for Cech from Ibraimi's long-range effort.
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26'Ivanovic is again involved as Chelsea attack down the right. He finds Hazard, who tries to flick a backheel across the box but it hits a defender. Ivanovic recovers it, though, and moves into the area before Suler stands firm to win the ball.
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25'Stojanovic ends up running into a dead end on the right after a good spell from the visitors, but Chelsea are quickly back in control of possession and move forward rapidly. They've been very direct so far tonight.
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24'That's Drogba's first goal for Chelsea since he scored the winning spot kick in the 2012 Champions League final. Quite fitting it was again from 12 yards, really.
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23'Penalty Goal Didier Drogba
DROGBA SCORES IT!! CHELSEA ARE TWO UP!! There's a huge cheer as the Blues legend steps up to the spot, and then he comfortably sends Handanovic with a clinical low effort into the left-hand corner. 2-0, and Chelsea are cruising. -
22'PENALTY TO CHELSEA!! The Blues sweep forward and it's worked wide to Willian, who cuts inside and tries to flick a square ball away, and it hits Mertelj's low-hanging arm before the referee points to the spot.
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21'It's suddenly looking a lot more comfortable for Chelsea, and they'll be looking to add at least a second goal before the break if they continue to dominate possession like this.
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20'Having survived some early pressure and threat on the counter, Chelsea are keeping the ball well. Ivanovic drills in a dangerous low cross which Hazard manages to meet at the near post, but it bounces up off his shins and goes behind for a goal kick.
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19'Suler produces a rather poor clearance as he takes the ball away from Willian, and Oscar looks to find his compatriot with a first-time ball. The flag is up, though, and Maribor survive the scare.
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17'Fabregas finds Hazard in midfield, but the Belgian fives it away with a loose pass before Luis slides in late on Mejac. The full-back is possibly lucky to escape without a booking, there.
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16'SubstitutionLoïc RemyDidier Drogba
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16'It's an early introduction for Didier Drogba, then, as the injured Remy trudges off. Not exactly a bad replacement, is it?
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15'Chelsea survive the danger from the corner, but they have another issue as it looks like Remy has to go off. The striker pulled up after scoring and appears to have injured himself when giving the Blues the lead.
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14'IBRAIMI ALMOST LEVELS IT!! Chelsea appear to switch off slightly and the Maribor forward moves towards goal, unleashing a dangerous bouncing effort which Cech does well to parry wide.
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13'Assist John Terry
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13'Goal Loïc Remy
REMY OPENS THE SCORING!! Moments after threatening the goal, he puts Chelsea in front as Terry fires a wonderful ball beyond the defence and Remy is on to it as the flag stays down. The striker takes a touch, cuts on to his left, and fires it into the far corner with his left foot. -
12'REMY DENIED!! Chelsea motor through the gears as Ivanovic finds Willian, who in turn slides the ball through for Remy and the striker fires a low shot which Handanovic saves well.
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11'It's been a fairly even start to this game, with Maribor enjoying some possession and also threatening on the break. Chelsea have the ball again, though, and will cause plenty of problems.
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10'Chelsea's first shot of the match goes to Oscar, who advances in from the left-hand side and spots a pocket of space, drilling a low 25-yard effort which skips well wide of Handanovic's near post.
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9'Chelsea have the ball, now, and are working it around well. Willian slides a pass through for Remy before swinging it out to Luis, whose cross finds Oscar inside the box but Suler shows his strength to clear away. It looks like he has an arm around the Brazilian but nothing is given.
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8'More good play from the visitors sees Stojanovic pick up the ball on the right-hand side, but Hazard helps Luis dispossess the full-back before Matic sets things moving forward. Oscar looks for Remy with a low pass in from the right but it's cut out.
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7'Fabregas produces a rare loose pass and Mejac cuts it out easily. Maribor are enjoying some decent early possession, here, but Mertelj wastes it as he hammers the ball straight out of play for a throw.
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6'CHANCE FOR BOHAR!! The visitors push forward in numbers and it's played out wide to Viler, who has acres of space out on the left. The full-back floats in a cross and Bohar meets it level with the near post, but can only loop his header over the bar.
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5'Hazard pushes down the left and slots it inside to Remy, who produces a strong touch but manages to hook the ball back into play. It's eventually worked back out to Hazard, but the Belgian had come back from an offside position and the flag goes up.
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4'Ivanovic is getting forward a lot already, and he looks to latch on to Fabregas' ball over the top. The Serbian manages to win a corner but the visitors head it away comfortably.
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3'Matic sprays another pass out to Ivanovice before the hosts work it inside. Remy receives the ball with his back to goal and spins quickly, looking to push into the box, but he is tackled well by Rajcevic.
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2'The visitors start with a nice passing move but Zouma is there to cut it out before Willian is felled in midfield. Maribor look bright but Hazard sets Chelsea going with a good pass out to Ivanovic, whose low cross is easily cut out.
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1'And we're underway in west London as Maribor get the match started for the first half.
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The players march out to a packed Stamford Bridge. It's a good atmosphere tonight, and hopefully there will be a game to match. Kick-off is just moments away...
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Mourinho’s men are unbeaten in 11 in all competitions, winning nine. Their last defeat came against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of last season’s Champions League semi-final.
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Maribor have played against an English team before, however. They took on Wigan in the Europa League group stage last season and succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the home of the Latics, but did earn a 2-1 victory against the 2013 FA Cup winners when they hosted them.
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This is the first time the Blues have faced Slovenian opposition, and England boss Roy Hodgson will undoubtedly be taking notes as the Maribor squad contains plenty of faces from the national side, who visit Wembley next month in a Euro 2016 qualifier.
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Aleksander Rajcevic continues in the heart of Maribor’s defence despite scoring two own goals at the weekend, condemning them to their first defeat in nine games in all competitions. Damjan Bohar scored in their impressive draw at Schalke, and the midfielder will be one to watch after he also netted against Celtic in the play-off round.
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There’s no Diego Costa as expected for the Blues, with the Spain striker ruled out because of a hamstring injury, so Loic Remy starts up front for the hosts. Petr Cech is in goal and Kurt Zouma gets the nod for his Champions League debut alongside John Terry in defence, while 17-year-old Dominic Solanke earns a spot on the bench.
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Maribor subs: Cotman, Ndiaye, Sallalich, Zahovic, Mendy, Vrsic, Arghus.
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Maribor (4-4-2): Handanovic; Stojanovic, Rajcevic, Suler, Viler; Mejac, Mertelj, Filipovic, Bohar; Tavares, Ibraimi.
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Chelsea subs: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ake, Salah, Solanke, Drogba.
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Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Filipe Luis; Fabregas, Matic; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Remy.
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The teams have been announced so let’s bring you tonight’s line-ups, starting with Jose Mourinho’s men…
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Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of the Champions League clash between Chelsea and Maribor at Stamford Bridge. The Group G leaders are hot favourites tonight, but the Slovenians are unbeaten so far and will present a tough
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