Blues lack finishing power on a night of missed opportunity

CHELSEA should be celebrating a morale-boosting victory at Borussia Dortmund, but instead are again left wondering how to fix their dismal finishing.

- Nizaar Kinsella

Borussia Dortmund 1

Adeyemi 63

Chelsea 0

Karim Adeyemi's stunning 50-yard dribble and finish in the 63rd minute was the only goal in a 1-0 first-leg defeat here, despite the Blues dominating in Germany.

Joao Felix, who was again outstanding in his general play, was the biggest culprit, missing three gilt-edged chances. However, his presence inside and outside the box at least led to chances for himself and others.

Kai Havertz is completely non-threatening as the club's makeshift No9, working hard but rarely a concern for any defenders; Mykhailo Mudryk played well but does not yet look capable of being a regular matchwinner at this level; similarly, Hakim Ziyech.

After Felix, marauding wing-back Reece James looked the most likely to score last night, putting in a performance where he looked more like his old self again after all his injury troubles. Centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly, meanwhile, had a shot cleared off the line.