Match ends, MOL Vidi 2, Chelsea 2.
Chelsea lost striker Alvaro Morata to a knee injury as they drew with MOL Vidi in a Europa League dead rubber.
The Blues, who had already won Group L to reach the last 32, made 10 changes although Willian, Morata and Cesc Fabregas were among the starters.
Willian opened the scoring with a free-kick before Chelsea teenager Ethan Ampadu headed into his own net.
Loic Nego put Vidi ahead with a fantastic volley but Olivier Giroud scored a stunning free-kick equaliser.
Morata hurt his knee while shooting from Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross late in the first half and had to be replaced by Giroud - who is now the Blues' only fit striker.
Boss Maurizio Sarri says he does not think the injury is too serious, with an update expected on Friday.
The Blues had won their opening five Europa League games, and are joined in the knockout stages by Bate Borisov, who beat PAOK Salonika in the other game. Vidi could have qualified - but needed to better the Belarusian side's result.
Chelsea short on striking options
Did Sarri need to name such a strong team for an ultimately irrelevant match in Budapest?
He even admitted before the game that it was a "difficult match to prepare for" with nothing on the line.
They named two players under 21 in their starting line-up, with another two on the bench. Arsenal named twice as many for their match in similar circumstances against Qarabag.
Chelsea only have two established strikers at the club - excluding those out on loan - and they could be down to one depending on the severity of Morata's injury
Eden Hazard - who was rested for this game - started up front in Sunday's 2-0 win over Manchester City and might be needed to reprise that role again.
Sunday's Premier League trip to Brighton is the first of seven games in three weeks.
Blues' fringe players fail to impress
Chelsea's two teenagers had mixed fortunes with usually impressive defender Ampadu, already a senior Wales international, heading past his own goalkeeper from a flicked-on corner.
Forward Hudson-Odoi had another bright game and forced two saves from Vidi's Adam Kovacsik.
Morata - who has only managed 10 goals in 2018 - looked short on confidence again, missing several chances before his injury.
And players like Emerson Palmieri, Ross Barkley, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fabregas did little to stake a place in the first-choice line-up.
Willian, the only player to keep his place from the win over City, opened the scoring with a central free-kick, which Kovacsik should have stopped.
Only 116 seconds later Vidi were level from Ampadu's own goal.
The hosts then led when Nego, a former Charlton Athletic player, hit a brilliant volley past Willy Caballero from Georgi Milanov's cross. He had already forced two saves from Chelsea's back-up goalkeeper by that stage.
But substitute Giroud saved their Europa League unbeaten record with a fine free-kick that not even a defender on the post could keep out.
'Satisfied with the character' - quotes
Chelsea boss Sarri: "We made a lot of mistakes from the tactical point of view. I am very happy with the character and with the reaction from the second goal.
"On the pitch there was a lot of young players so it wasn't easy to react.
"From the tactical point of view we made a lot of mistakes. We lost a lot of ball. We can manage the ball better I think. At the end, especially with the young players I am satisfied with the character."
Man of the match - Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
Chelsea follow in Liverpool footsteps - match stats
- Chelsea are the first side to score from two direct free-kicks in a single Europa League game since Liverpool against Zenit St Petersburg back in February 2013.
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their last nine Europa League games (W8 D1), last suffering defeat in the competition against Ruben Kazan in the second leg of the 2012-13 quarter-finals.
- Vidi are just the second side to score two goals against Chelsea in a Europa League game after Ruben Kazan back in April 2013.
- Vidi have lost just two of their last seven home Europa League games (W3 D2).
- Since his Chelsea debut, Willian has scored 10 direct free kicks for the Blues - six more than any other Chelsea player (Marcos Alonso - 4).
Line-ups
MOL Vidi
Formation 4-3-2-1
- 74Kovacsik
- 5Fiola
- 23JuhászBooked at 66mins
- 3Souza dos SantosBooked at 73mins
- 22dos Santos Tavares
- 11NegoBooked at 76mins
- 8HadzicSubstituted forPátkaiat 85'minutes
- 19Nikolov
- 9HusztiBooked at 69minsSubstituted forHodzicat 81'minutes
- 77MilanovSubstituted forKovácsat 81'minutes
- 44Scepovic
Substitutes
- 10Kovács
- 12Tujvel
- 13Berecz
- 15Hodzic
- 17Pátkai
- 25Tamas
- 65Hangya
Chelsea
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Caballero
- 21Zappacosta
- 44Ampadu
- 27Christensen
- 33Emerson
- 8Barkley
- 4Fàbregas
- 12Loftus-CheekBooked at 79mins
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 29MorataSubstituted forGiroudat 45+1'minutes
- 22WillianSubstituted forPedroat 56'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Alonso
- 5Jorginho
- 11Pedro
- 18Giroud
- 30David Luiz
- 52Cumming
- 55McEachran
- Referee:
- Aleksandar Stavrev
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home24%
- Away76%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away5
- Corners
- Home3
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, MOL Vidi 2, Chelsea 2.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Stopira (MOL Vidi) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by István Kovács.
Post update
Foul by Olivier Giroud (Chelsea).
Post update
Paulo Vinicius (MOL Vidi) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Emerson (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Loic Nego (MOL Vidi).
Post update
Foul by Ross Barkley (Chelsea).
Post update
Boban Nikolov (MOL Vidi) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, MOL Vidi. Máté Pátkai replaces Anel Hadzic.
Post update
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Attila Fiola (MOL Vidi).
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Offside, Chelsea. Cesc Fàbregas tries a through ball, but Callum Hudson-Odoi is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, MOL Vidi. Armin Hodzic replaces Szabolcs Huszti.
Substitution
Substitution, MOL Vidi. István Kovács replaces Georgi Milanov.
Post update
Foul by Pedro (Chelsea).
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Szabolcs Huszti (MOL Vidi) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).
Comments
Join the conversation
Actually, after ALLLL that money (2004) Chelsea have won 5 Premiership titles, 5 FA cups, 3 League cups, the Europa league and the Champions league. I'm sure you're aware of that, probably just an oversight on your part.
To be honest mate we're still laughing. One Carabao Cup in 12 years is hilarious.
Really glad that he's making his mark at another top team even though they're a direct rival. He deserved to make his own choice of transfer destination after years of faithful service.
Just keep the bangers off the menu when you face us yeah Ollie?!
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through that time had a racist 'captain, leader, legend' and racist fans
all the trophies in the world will not take that away
Defoe from Bournemouth for 6 months would be a good deal
It's not every Chelsea fans fault but when you have "fans" such as Blue is the colour trolling other clubs HYS other fans are going to give it back when an opportunity rises
Have you been in hibernation or something?
Don't feel any sympathy towards you at all after the comment below.
Horrible, nasty person who I judge, as you do, on a single action. I don't care if this gets downvotes from your family, I expect it to. Won't change my opinion.
Not nice to see any players injured but Morata has been doing my head in for a while now so I guess Sarri will have to play Giroud
Why are you wasting your time trying to explain the situation to him (plastic fantastic). He's obviously as think as two short planks....
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“as think as two short planks”
Oh the irony.