First thing of note is that there are no changes to either side at halftime. I expect Di Matteo is going to ride Ryan Bertrand as long as possible before making an adjustment either defensively or offensively as necessary.
Bayern Munich Vs. Chelsea, 2012 UEFA Champions League Final: Ashley Cole Defensive Effort Keeps Match Scoreless
Chelsea opened the half looking to balance out possession a bit and actually spend some meaningful time in the Bayern half. It worked a bit, but the first mistake led to a great chance for the Germans.
Early in the half, Arjen Robben absolutely abused David Luiz on the right side, turning him in circles on a long pass and moving in on Cech. If not for a valiant run from Ashley Cole, who raced back in to the play and made a great sliding tackle to block Robben's cross, that could have been the moment for Bayern to finally take the lead their play has deserved. Instead, more solid defending from the Blues and things remain scoreless.
We' ll have live coverage and updates throughout the game in our 2012 UEFA Champions League Final StoryStream. For more on Bayern, head over to Bayern Munich blog Bavarian Football Works. For more on the Blues, check out Chelsea FC blog We Ain't Got No History. For more on the entire world of football, follow @SBNationSoccer on twitter.
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