Jose Mourinho hasn’t had a lot to smile about lately, but Juan Mata’s display in Romania on Tuesday surely helped improve his mood as Chelsea got their Champions League campaign back on track in convincing fashion.
Mourinho’s demeanor in the build-up to the match had been as dark as the rain clouds that were encamped over Bucharest for the past few days, however this was just the result and performance he would have wanted to lift the gloom.
A brace from Ramires, which sandwiched an own goal by Daniel Georgeievski, ensured Chelsea secured their first win in their Champions League group and started putting the Basel defeat of a fortnight ago behind them.
There were confident performances all over the pitch, but it was Mata, the man whose relationship with the manager has come under intense scrutiny, that shone most of all.
The only question was whether Chelsea would play in the second half with as much focus and determination as the first and their emphatic answer came just 10 minutes later.
A sublime move involving Schurrle and Oscar was finished off at the far post with a fierce shot by Ramires, which prompted even the locals to applaud.
They gasped in awe again moments later when Mata struck the post following a sublime dribble into the area by Oscar, who also hit the woodwork late on.
The home side appeared in awe of their more experienced opponents, although they did threaten with shots from Tanase and Stanciu, but then Frank Lampard added to their misery with a typical finish in the last minute.
Chelsea’s only disappointment was that Mata’s display wasn’t rewarded with the goal he deserved, but suddenly Chelsea and their manager have reason to be in good spirits once again.
