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Match report: Chelsea 1 FC Basle 2 - Group E

A second successive defeat for a Chelsea team that lacks 'maturity and personality'

Just like six years ago, Wednesday was an evening to forget for Jose Mourinho.

Back then he could only manage a draw against Norwegian minnows Rosenborg and two days later his love affair with the west London club seemed all but over when he left.

Mourinho, a Champions League winner with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan six years later, returned to Chelsea in the summer looking to put right where it went so wrong at Stamford Bridge.

A home defeat to Swiss side FA Basle, however, left the Chelsea manager reflecting on a poor start to the season. Goals from Mohamed Salah and veteran striker Marco Streller gave the visitors a shock win after Oscar had put Chelsea ahead.

"I think the team doesn't have the maturity and personality to deal with certain pressures of the game," said Mourinho, after seeing his side slump to their second successive defeat following their weekend loss in the league.

"We saw that at Everton when they scored just before half-time and again today. When the first negative moment arrives, which is the equaliser, the team shakes a little bit.

"We go home very sad but tomorrow morning we wake up and work on it."

The match saw yet another unconvincing performance from Chelsea's front-line, led by Samuel Eto'o. He was given a starting berth in front of Demba Ba and Fernando Torres.

The Chelsea boss, however, was defensive about his the perceived flaws of the selection of strikers he has at his disposal.

"I'm happy with the three strikers for the rest of the season," Mourinho said.

"I'm happy. The players are the players, they're good professionals, they're trying their best every match. I can't complain about any of the three."

The first half was dull and uninspiring. If anything, it was Murat Yakin's side that showed more desire. The visitors were able to create a number of opportunities and though none of them troubled Chelsea's Petr Cech, it was clear that the Swiss side posed a real threat.

Chelsea, however, broke Basle's resistance a minute before the interval when Oscar put the home side ahead. It was a barely deserved lead, even if the goal was a well-worked effort.

Brazilian defender David Luiz began the move, taking the ball into the opponent's half and finding Frank Lampard in space.

The Chelsea captain, afforded the opportunity to turn and pick his pass, spotted Oscar making a run behind his marker. He played the ball accurately into the path of the Brazilian, who firmly thumped the ball low beyond the dive of goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Chelsea were better in the second half. Oscar impressed, rattling the crossbar with a superb curling effort. Moments later, Branislav Ivanovic should have doubled Chelsea's lead with a header that was saved by Sommer.

The boys in blue looked more confident, and it seemed that they could take the victory.

But on 71 minutes, the visitors levelled things up when Salah scored the equalising goal, finishing a flowing move that carved open Chelsea's back-line.

The Egyptian winger curled a powerful shot past Cech from inside the penalty area.

The nerves immediately took hold of the Chelsea ranks. Salah, the best player on the evening, was rampant. Mourinho tried to respond by bringing on Demba Ba, as well as John Obi Mikel in a bid to rescue the match.

It was the visitors, however, who were to find the decisive goal when Streller glanced home a header from a corner kick by Marcelo Diaz.

Mourinho turns his attentions back to domestic affairs this weekend with a visit form west London rivals Fulham.

 

Amar Azam

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