Chelsea Win Exhibition Match in Ljubljana
Published on 28 july 2014The match between the Slovenian first league club Olimpija and Chelsea, led by the charismatic Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, generated massive interest in Slovenia, packing the 16,000-seat Stožice Stadium.
Inspired by the huge home crowd, Olimpija took the initiative in the first half, which resulted in a goal late in the period, as midfielder Nik Kapun scored in the 40th minute with a powerful and accurate shot from just inside the box.
The four-time English champions and the 2012 UEFA Champions League winners put the things in the right place with two goals within eight minutes in the second half, with newcomer Brazilian Diego Costa equalising in the 56th minute.
The London side, which was without players whose national teams made it to the final eight of the 2014 World Cup, got the winning goal in the 64th minute through France's Kurt Zouma.
Olimpija has not played against such a prestigious opponent since 2003, when it hosted Liverpool as part of qualifiers for the UEFA Cup at the old Bežigrad Stadium.
The match is part of a series of warm-up fixtures Chelsea has embarked on ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.
It started its tour against Austrian side RZ Pellets in Klagenfurt on Wednesday and is scheduled to play Vitesse Arnhem, Werder Bremen, Frencvaroš and Real Sociedad until 12 August.
Source: The Slovenia Times
Photo Source: The Daily Mail
