Slovenian football champions Maribor played out a 1:1 draw with the English powerhouse Chelsea at home on Wednesday in what was week 4 of the UEFA Champions League to remain in play for the next round of Europe's strongest club competitio.
While Maribor failed to avenge the embarrassing 0:6 loss to the leading team of the English Premier League two weeks ago in London, the Slovenian club gave its best not to record another loss and face elimination from the competition.
Some 12,000 spectators in the Ljudski vrt stadium in Marbor were treated to a spectacle, but the first goal for the home team came only in the 50th minute with a beautiful kick by Agim Ibraimi.
Chelsea expectedly hit back and a goal was hanging in the air until the 73th minute, when a header by John Terry was put home by Nemanja Matić, who was waiting for an opportunity near the goal line.
A nail-biting finish followed in which Chelesa even had the opportunity to score a winning goal from a penalty kick, but Eden Hazard's attempt from the 11-metre spot was saved by Maribor's Jasmin Handanović.
Maribor now have three points and are at the bottom of group G, one point behind Sporting Lisbon, whom they will play in the next round on the road on 25 November.
Source: SloveniaTimes
Photo sources: India.com, Ytimg
