José Mourinho believes victories over Maribor in Chelseas next two Champions League games will prove sufficient to secure his teams passage into the knockout phase after the London club deflated Sportings ambitions by securing victory in Lisbon.
The visitors dominated against opponents playing their first home game in this competition proper for five years, missing too many chances for comfort but securing the success courtesy of Nemanja Matics first-half header. That was enough to achieve the first positive result in Group G, with Schalke held at home by the Slovenians, and ensured Chelsea have now established themselves at the top of the section.
The scoreline might suggest this was a squeeze, an awkward evening of defensive resilience and a lead pilfered on the break, but that would be wildly deceptive. Chelsea actually delivered something akin to a thrashing by a solitary goal in Lisbon to make their first proper statement of intent in this group. José Mourinho appeared mystified at times that his sides dominance was not being properly reflected but this had in reality been a happy homecoming.
It was hard at times to comprehend quite how the visitors failed to score a hatful as Sporting Clube de Portugal heaved to contain them, only for profligacy to ensure an anxious ending.
