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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Cudicini vexed after Chelsea defeat

/noticias.info/ When Deivid's spectacular long-range shot swerved out of the reach of Carlo Cudicini with nine minutes left to give Fenerbahçe SK a 2-1 UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg win against Chelsea FC in Istanbul last night, the visiting goalkeeper may well have reflected on what happened before half-time at the end he defended after the interval.

Game changes
Chelsea led 1-0 at the break through a Deivid own goal and only the combined intervention of the crossbar, some inspired goalkeeping by Volkan Demirel and a bit of bad luck prevented that advantage being greater. But the game changed in the second period and after substitute Kazım Kazım had equalised on 65 minutes, it was no surprise that Fenerbahçe went on to give themselves a one-goal cushion to take to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Disappointment
"I am disappointed, especially after the first half, when we had the chance to close out the game," Cudicini said. "Unfortunately we didn't do it. Sometimes that happens and in the second half they scored two goals. Every time you concede you are disappointed, especially in these type of games where every goal is important."

No collapse
However, the 34-year-old denied that Chelsea had folded after surrendering their lead. "I don't think we collapsed, it's just sometimes we need to close out games," he said "It has sometimes happened this season. When you don't close out the game, the opposition have got a chance if they score. It happened today and then with their supporters, the atmosphere and everything, they scored a second, which of course makes things complicated."

Confidence
Not so complicated that Cudinici does not think that Chelsea can still earn a fourth semi-final in five seasons, however. "We are confident," he said. "We have shown today that we have the ability to play very well, as we did in the first half. We know we can beat them at the Bridge." notas_de_prensa_archivo