Chelsea sail on with impressive win over Maribor

By Mike Collett
Chelsea crushed Maribor 6-0 in a predictably one-sided Champions League Group G match at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday that saw Jose Mourinho’s side stretch their unbeaten run from the start of the season to 12 matches.
Veterans Didier Drogba, 36, who scored a penalty, and skipper John Terry, 33, were both on the scoresheet along with Loic Remy, Eden Hazard – who scored twice, once from the spot – and an own goal.
Remy opened the scoring after 13 minutes before Drogba doubled the lead from the penalty spot after 23 minutes with his first goal since returning to the club. He had replaced Remy, who injured himself scoring.
Terry made it 3-0 after 31 minutes before Mitja Viler put through his own net to make it 4-0 nine minutes into the second half.
Agim Ibraimi then fired a Maribor penalty against the post after 64 minutes before Hazard made it 5-0 with Chelsea’s second spot kick of the night.
Hazard added a superb stoppage-time sixth to complete the rout and leave Chelsea top of the group with seven points from three matches.
Remy made the breakthrough when he collected a neat pass from Terry, cut inside two defenders and curled home with his left foot, but he injured himself in the process and limped off three minutes later.
Drogba, who returned to Chelsea this season after two years away, scored his first goal for the club since the 2012 Champions League final by sending goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovic the wrong way with his penalty.
Terry, marauding upfield, crashed the ball over the line from point-blank range to make it 3-0 after a cross from Cesc Fabregas in a counter-attack that started when Chelsea cleared a Maribor corner.
Chelsea did not have long to wait after the break for their fourth, when Hazard’s shot was deflected over the line by Maribor left-back Mitja Viler.
Hazard made it 5-0 from the spot after Marko Suler fouled Branislav Ivanovic.
His sixth put the icing on the cake on a great night for the London side.

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