Chelsea and Benfica are playing at a fast pace and both teams have been great at making last-ditch tackles in their own ends, but neither team has been particularly sharp at providing a final ball. Because of this, neither team has created a whole lot in the way of clear-cut scoring chances. It's 0-0 at halftime, and even though Chelsea would prefer an away goal, they won't be bothered by that score.
Benfica Vs. Chelsea, 2012 UEFA Champions League: Halftime, Disjointed Half Ends 0-0
It took Chelsea until the 40th minute to get their first shot on target. That shot was a beauty by Raul Meireles, who forced a very good save out of Artur.
Benfica have done well to get the ball into their big target man Oscar Cardozo, but he hasn’t been able to finish or create chances for his teammates. He had Benfica’s best chance in the 19th minute when he took a through ball off his chest and set himself up for a volley, but hit a bad shot wide of the near post.
Fernando Torres has looked good for Chelsea and it appears that his first touch and off the ball movement is about back to what it used to be. Crossing and shooting is another story. Torres had one very errant cross and one good shooting opportunity fluffed.
The half ended with a silly foul by Solomon Kalou on Bruno Cesar that gave Benfica a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. The ensuing delivery on the free kick was terrible. It was a very nice summary of the half.
For more on the Blues, head over to Chelsea blog We Ain’t Got No History.
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