Di Matteo rues missed opportunity

Soccer:Roberto Di Matteo admitted Chelsea only had themselves to blame after watching them blow a two-goal lead to open their defence of the Champions League with a draw against Juventus. Oscar looked set to enjoy a dream European debut after scoring a stunning first-half double but the Italian champions ruthlessly exposed the holders' defensive deficiencies to snatch a Group E draw at Stamford Bridge.

They were even a lick of paint from completing a sensational turnaround as Blues boss Di Matteo’s acknowledgment that retaining the trophy could prove mission impossible seemed to prove prophetic. He said: “We feel disappointed and a little bit deflated that we found ourselves in a fantastic position to win this game and we came away only with a draw.

“We should have closed the game and brought the win home.”

Chelsea’s defending was bad enough when Juve pulled a goal back through Arturo Vidal before half-time. But just when it looked as if the holders had done enough to hang on, they went missing again, with John Obi Mikel giving the ball away and failing to track back and David Luiz in no man’s land as Fabio Quagliarella waltzed through to level.

Di Matteo said: “I think we should have dealt with it a little bit better. There was no pressure on the ball and it was pretty difficult to play offside. We lost possession just beforehand and we should have reacted much quicker to losing the ball than we did.

“It’s something that you try to improve all the time, to be composed in possession and to keep the ball better. We did during the game give the ball away a little bit too cheaply at times but I think we also played some good stuff tonight.”

Mikel apologised afterwards, admitting he had no excuses for the defensive lapse that let Juve back into the match. "If I want to make up an excuse, I can," Mikel said. "But, for me, I gave the ball away. I put my hands up, we move on. I'm sorry about the mistake, but there are no excuses.

I think that's what you get from playing in the Champions League. You make a mistake, you get punished for it. I think we looked so good all throughout the game, except when it was 2-2. We just lost our head."

Juventus' fightback showed just why they had gone 42 Serie A games without defeat. Assistant boss Massimo Carrera said: "We could have won it, we could have lost it, but that's football. We stepped it up and we just proved tonight we can play European competition at this level."