Chelsea concede late to lose Group H top spot, United top despite draw

 

Late Zenith goal condemns Chelsea to second spot in Group H of their champions league campaign, it ended 3-3 in Russia. (Photo credit: UEFA)

Manchester United limped to a 1-1 draw against Young Boys of Switzerland but they still top their champions league group; the game between Atalanta and Villareal was postponed due to heavy snow at the Italians’ stadium.

The Red Devils set up with a much changed eleven as they prepare for a run of packed league games over the festive season with Mason Greenwood firing in the opener at Old Trafford as Ralf Rangnick took on his first champions league game for United.

Young Boys leveled before the break through Fabian Reider and every attempt by the hosts to find the winner proved abortive although United used the evening to test young lads as three youngsters earned their UCL debuts.

Elsewhere on the night, Chelsea conceded late in the game in Russia to Zenith St Petersburg to lose the top spot in Group H as Juventus did their own part on the night by beating Malmo 1-0 in a game that wasn’t particularly pretty but effective.

Chelsea took an early lead through Timo Werner but were soon pegged back before the break as the Russians scored twice in the space of three minutes to end the half on top of the Blues, at that time the Old Lady were on top of the group as it stood.

Chelsea leveled just after the hour mark through Romelu Lukaku and needed one more goal to go top, the goal did come just five minutes before the end of regulation time and as it stood at that point, they pushed Juventus to second spot.

News broke out in Turin that Chelsea had scored and the mood changed, but as the final whistle went off, the crowd in Turin raised the roof with their noise, they’d learned of a very late equalizer against Chelsea which meant their team would finish top and avoid big guns in the round of 16.

That result in Russia means Chelsea could meet European juggernauts like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Ajax who went through the group stages without dropping a single point; Chelsea will avoid Liverpool and United as they are from the same league for the round of 16 draws.