Salzburg 1-2 Chelsea: Kovacic nets, Havertz's wonder-strike seals the outcome

Game is over and the final score is Salzburg 1-2 Chelsea. Here is the match report.

Match Events

0' Salzburg vs Chelsea is about to start

2' Havertz goes down in the box but ref says no penalty!

12' Sucic fires his shot into the sky

22' GOAL! Salzburg 0-1 Chelsea (Kovacic)

26' SAVE! Fine stop from world-class Kohn

31' CLOSE! Aubameyang misses a golden chance!

45' AGAIN! Kohn denies Aubameyang’s effort

48' GOAL! Salzburg 1-1 Chelsea (Junior Adamu)

63' GOAL! Salzburg 1-2 Chelsea (Havertz)

66' Kepa makes a brilliant save

89' AGAIN! Kepa makes decent save

Match Report

Chelsea secured their spot in the last-16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over RB Salzburg on Tuesday night at the Red Bull Arena.

Graham Potter's side extended their lead at the top of Group E to continue their unbeaten start under the 47-year-old taking it to nine games.

After a dull opening 30 minutes, Chelsea took the lead in the 34th minute in stunning fashion. The ball came onto Mateo Kovacic’s left foot on the edge of the box and he instinctively swiped it goalwards and it found the top corner to put the visitors ahead.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should’ve doubled the lead after stunning build up play, which led Kai Havertz to find the 33-year-old. But Aubameyang was denied by Philipp Kohn, leaving him frustrated after missing a glorious chance. Havertz then had a chance to make it 2-0 three minutes later, but he could only direct his header straight at Kohn.

Chelsea were playing liquid and fluid football in the first half, some of their best yet under Graham Potter, and nearly had a second moments before the interval. But Kohn was there again to get down low to deny Aubameyang at his near post.

RB Salzburg wanted a penalty in the first two minutes of the second half, but VAR said no. But the hosts levelled two minutes later through Junior Adamu as he tucked home a neat move from the Austrian side.

Aubameyang continued to have chances in the second half but Kohn, again, matched him to keep the scores level. Jorginho then had an effort cleared off the line by Adamu as the Blues continued to search for another goal to restore their lead.

Chelsea finally got their second in the 64th minute. They were only doing screamers in Austria. Havertz got the ball on the edge of the area and curled into the top left corner - via the crossbar - to restore Potter’s side’s lead.

Kepa Arrizabalaga was called into action twice in quick succession, first denying Okafor’s volley before tipping away Benjamin Sesko’s low effort from distance. Thiago Silva was then required to clear off the line after Kepa was beaten to the ball in the air by Strahinja Pavlovic.

Chelsea held on to the lead in Austria to see out another win which saw them confirm their place in the knockout stages which will commence in 2023.

Now they head they head back to Stamford Bridge for one last group game against Dinamo Zagreb next week.

Line-ups

Salzburg XI: Bernardo, Maximilian Wöber, Noah Okafor, Philipp Köhn, Amar Dedic, Luka Sucic, Nicolas Seiwald, S. Pavlovic, Maurits Kjaergaard, Junior Adamu, Lucas Gourna-Douath

Subs: Andreas Ulmer, Alexander Walke, Nico Mantl, Youba Diarra, Brempt, Kamil Piatkowski, Benjamin Sesko, Roko Simic, Samson Baidoo, Dijon Kameri

Chelsea XI: Thiago Silva, Aubameyang, Kovacic, Sterling, Jorginho, Kepa, Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Pulisic, Havertz, Conor Gallagher

Subs: Azpilicueta, Marcus Bettinelli, Edouard Mendy, Ziyech, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Chilwell, Zakaria, Armando Broja, Carney Chukwuemeka