Chelsea lost because of ridiculous mistakes – Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho suffered a nightmare homecoming as Porto, the club he led to the Champions League title in 2004, inflicted a 2-1 defeat on his woefully out-of-sorts Chelsea side in Group G on Tuesday.

Mourinho sprang a surprise before the game by leaving out Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic and Oscar. The Londoners went behind after just 39 minutes when Yacine Brahimi produced a surging run down the left and Andre Andre scored.

Brazil playmaker Willian equalised with the last move of the first half, curling a delightful free kick into the top corner of the net from 25 metres.

Porto then went back in front seven minutes after the break when Maicon stooped low at the near post to head a left-wing corner past keeper Asmir Begovic.

Diego Costa was agonisingly close to a second goal for Chelsea when his wicked drive from 25 metres hit the underside of the bar and came out.

But Chelsea, who won the Premier League last season but are struggling in 14th place in their domestic championship this term, could have fallen further behind at the Estadio do Dragao.

Porto laid siege to the visitors’ goal in the last 20 minutes and Begovic had to be at his best to keep his team in the game.

Chelsea were denied a late penalty when Diego Costa flicked the ball around Ivan Marcano in the box and the defender deflected it away with his arm.

Overall, though, Porto were deserving winners as they joined Dynamo Kiev at the top of the group with four points from two games. Chelsea are on three while Maccabi Tel Aviv have yet to get off the mark.

Mourinho blamed his team’s fifth defeat of the season on two bad moments.

“I think it was a good performance with two ridiculous mistakes. Sometimes you make that kind of ridiculous mistake and you are not punished, we were punished,” he said.

“When the team is not playing and winning matches on a regular basis it is normal that you have to make changes, but games like the game today are the ones difficult to analyze and to make decisions after because the result doesn’t mean that you played badly.”

Porto coach Julen Lopetegui commended his players after the win saying they had the right attitude and mentality.

“We are happy to win but more so about the mentality of the team, about their attitude, for the mentality, attitude,” said Lopetegui.

“The game required more so we suffered a goal in the final part of the first half. It is difficult against a team like Chelsea, more so a team like Chelsea, and in the second half the team has wanted to continue to attack, to believe and to compete. I think it’s a just prize,” he said.

Porto now lead Group G with Dynamo Kyiv on four points each, with Chelsea in third place with three points while Maccabi Tel Aviv is fourth with no point.

Chelsea have now lost more games this season than the whole of 2014/15 having been beaten five times in 11 games compared to last season four loses.