Chelsea were set to kick off again just two minutes later. The players had barely settled into the match, yet they were already a goal down on the scoreboard.
What a disastrous start!
Zola passed the ball back to Di Matteo, and Chelsea immediately began pushing forward. They were behind, and scoring was the only logical way to get themselves back into the game. Their midfielders surged upfield, but Di Matteo soon found himself pressured by Gattuso. He scanned for an option, only to find his teammates tightly marked.
He had no choice but to play the ball backward.
"Another mistake! Di Matteo didn't notice what was happening behind him! His return pass was too soft, and Pirlo intercepted it in the middle! Pirlo immediately moves the ball sideways, while Ronaldinho makes a clever run! An opening has appeared in front of Chelsea's penalty area!"
