11 April 2007, by Sean Gillen

Mourinho delight at “best away performance in three years”

Valencia 1-2 Chelsea (Agg 2-3)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho could not contain his delight with his players as the Blues came from behind to beat Valencia at the Mestalla, with what the Portuguese feels was possibly their best away performance during his reign at the club.

Second half goals from Andrei Shevcenko and a last-minute winner from Michael Essien saw Mourinho’s men through to their second semi-final in three years, with Liverpool almost certain to be their opponents in the last four.

“It was a great performance,” said Mourinho after the match. “Especially the second half, under pressure because we were losing one-zero.”

“I was preparing my brain for the extra time. But we deserved to win over the ninety minutes, clearly. In the second half there was only one team. They had no chances, we dominated the game completely in the second half.”

“I think it is maybe our best performance away from home in three seasons. The second half was fantastic. This is an unbelievable group.”

The Premiership side fell behind in Spain to Fernando Morientes’ 32nd minute goal, and struggled in the first half as Valencia dominated proceedings to go into the break with a 2-1 aggregate lead.

Tactical masterstroke

Mourinho made a substitution at half time, bringing on Joe Cole for Lassana Diarra, and switched the team’s formation from a 4-4-2 system to a 4-4-3. The changes worked, and the Premiership champions were level within seven minutes of the re-start when Shevchenko seized on a loose ball at the back post to fire past Canizares.

Chelsea controlled proceedings for much of the second half and booked their place in the semi-finals when Essien, regarded by many as one of Chelsea’s best performers this season, drilled a shot inside Canizares’ near post from the inside-right of the penalty area.

The English champions now face a semi-final against Liverpool or PSV, with their fellow Premiership outfit 3-0 up from the first leg in Holland and almost certain to set up a repeat of the team’s clash at the same stage two years ago when Liverpool went on to win the trophy.

“It will be a difficult semi-final,” said Mourinho. “Especially because we are playing in three competitions and Liverpool is playing in only one. Liverpool have no problems with yellow cards. We are full of yellow cards.”

“But this team is fantastic. At this moment we have won one competition (the Carling Cup) we are in two semi-finals and we are still fighting for the Premiership. I am also very pleased that Man United are also in the semi-finals because they have to play two more matches and their concentration, their focus – like us – is on three competitions.”

Valencia:
Canizares, Miguel, Ayala, Moretti, Del Horno, Joaquin, Albelda, Albiol (Hugo Viana 72), Silva, Morientes (Angulo 65), Villa
Yellow Cards: Del Horno, Albelda, Ayala, Moretti

Chelsea:
Cech, Diarra (Joe Cole 46), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Essien, Lampard (Makelele 90), Ballack, Shevchenko (Kalou 90), Drogba
Yellow Cards: Essien, Ballack

Goals:
[1-0] Morientes, 32
[1-1] Shevchenko, 52
[1-2] Essien, 90