CHELSEA SENT SPORTING Lisbon crashing out of the Champions League as the Blues got back on track with 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
The Blues were already certain of qualifying for the last 16 as group winners, but Sporting needed a point to be sure of progressing in second place and they weren’t up to the task.
Cesc Fabregas opened the scoring with an early penalty and Andre Schurrle extended Chelsea’s lead.
Jonathan Silva reduced the deficit for Sporting in the second half, only for John Obi Mikel to net Chelsea’s third.
With Chelsea already through, Mourinho was able to rest Eden Hazard, John Terry and Oscar among others, as he made six changes from the loss at Newcastle.
Filipe Luis was the catalyst for Chelsea’s eighth minute opener as the Brazilian left-back, finding himself in an advanced position, kept his composure to win a penalty with a clever nutmeg of Ricardo Esgaio that provoked a flustered trip from the embarrassed Sporting defender.
It was a clear foul and Fabregas stepped up to calmly stroke his spot-kick down the middle as Rui Patricio dived the wrong way.
Sporting’s hesitant, nerve-ridden start was at odds with the do-or-die nature of their task and Chelsea took full advantage to double their lead in the 16th minute.
Nemanja Matic clipped a pass into Schurrle and the Germany winger took one touch before turning and driving a fine, low strike past Patricio from the edge of the penalty area.
Islam Slimani headed narrowly wide as Sporting finally mustered an attack of note, but Chelsea were soon back on the front foot and Schurrle’s strike was pushed away by Patricio.
Andre Carrillo’s cross was headed away by Schurrle, but the ball fell to Silva on the edge of the area and he fired a clinical finish into the bottom corner.
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But Mourinho’s men killed off Sporting for good in the 57th minute when Gary Cahill glanced a Fabregas free-kick to the far post where Nigerian midfielder Mikel tapped in for his first goal since January.
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