The Blues return to training on Monday fresh from winning the FIFA Club World Cup, when we produced one of the most thrilling halves of football ever seen from a Chelsea team. It got us thinking. What are the greatest 45-minute periods in the club’s history?
At the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Enzo Maresca’s side ripped Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain to shreds with a devastating display of clinical attacking football. The Blues were solid at the back, too, accumulating a 3-0 half-time lead we comfortably saw out after the break.
It unquestionably belongs in the pantheon of great Chelsea halves of football. Here we detail some other amazing passages produced by Blues teams either side of the interval, going all the way back to 1906.
We have had to leave out some big hitters, including the second half of the epic 4-4 against Sheffield Wednesday in 1985 (conceding a last-minute equaliser dampened the comeback somewhat), and the first half of our 4-2 win over Barcelona in 2005 (we were heading out on away goals at the break). What you define as a great half is of course subjective, but these are 17 we think stand out above the rest…
First half vs Glossop North End, 1 September 1906
Chelsea signalled our intent in our second season in existence by leading Glossop North End 6-2 at half-time on the opening day of the Second Division campaign. The star performer was new signing George Hilsdon, who bagged a first-half hat-trick which earned him the nickname ‘Gatling Gun’.
Second half vs Doncaster Rovers, 16 November 1960
Our debut League Cup campaign had already taken in big wins against Millwall and Workington before we travelled to Belle Vue to play Doncaster Rovers. Peter Brabrook put us 1-0 ahead at half-time before Ted Drake’s young side ran riot after the break, scoring six goals without reply. Three days after that 7-0 win, we scored five in the first half in a 6-3 victory over Man City!
Second half vs Blackpool, 24 October 1970
This was a classic come-from-behind win. 3-0 down at half-time, Dave Sexton’s side scored four goals in the final 20 minutes to complete a remarkable turnaround. Keith Weller bagged a brace either side of a David Webb goal to draw the Blues level, before Blackpool’s Dave Hatton put through his own net in the final minute.
Second half vs Bolton, 14 October 1978
The undoubted highlight of an otherwise miserable 1978/79 campaign for Chelsea was the 4-3 comeback victory against Bolton that played out in a very similar fashion to the Blackpool win at the start of the Seventies. 3-0 down at half-time, four goals in 17 minutes earned a first home victory of the season, with an own goal – this time scored by future Trotters gaffer Sam Allardyce – settling the contest.
Second half vs Liverpool, 26 January 1997
We fast forward to the FA Cup fourth round in January 1997, and perhaps Chelsea’s most iconic half of football. It looked like our Cup aspirations were over for another year after goals from Robbie Fowler and Stan Collymoore put the Reds 2-0 up, but the introduction of Mark Hughes at half-time completely changed the game’s course.
Hughes got one back, Gianfranco Zola promptly equalised, before a Gianluca Vialli brace had Stamford Bridge rocking and the Blues in dreamland. We went on to win the Cup for the first time in a generation.
Second half vs Tottenham, 6 December 1997
This London derby was locked at 1-1 at the midway point before, as The Independent put it, Chelsea found ‘formidable rhythm and precision of attacking'. Tore Andre Flo added two to his first-half goal, completing a hat-trick in the process, with Roberto Di Matteo, Dan Petrescu, and Mark Nicholls also getting in on the act. Even a chant was born: ‘We won 6-1, at the Lane!’
Second half vs Galatasaray, 20 October 1999
‘Welcome to Hell’ was the message awaiting the Chelsea squad on arrival in Istanbul. Instead, it turned into a heavenly trip as four second-half goals silenced the Ali Sami Yen Stadium and secured our first ever Champions League away win. What a way to do it.
First half vs Barcelona, 5 April 2000
A certain contender for our very greatest half of football. The first leg of our first Champions League quarter-final saw the Blues blitz star-studded Barca in the blink of an eye. Zola set us on our way with a dipping free-kick before Flo netted twice. Stamford Bridge could scarcely believe what it was seeing: Chelsea 3 Barcelona 0 with just 45 minutes played.
Second half vs Arsenal, 6 April 2004
In our next Champions League quarter-final the Blues trailed 1-0 against the champions-elect at half-time. Yet another defeat to Arsenal felt on the cards. But Claudio Ranieri’s Blues conjured up a mighty comeback, with goals from Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge dumping the Gunners out and sending us through the last four.
Second half vs Valencia, 10 April 2007
Another Champions League quarter-final, and another stirring second half that secured progression! 1-0 down on the night and 2-1 down on aggregate with 45 minutes of the tie against an exciting Valencia side remaining, Chelsea produced a dynamic, attacking half of football that yielded goals from Andriy Shevchenko and, in the closing stages, Michael Essien.
Second half vs Wigan, 9 May 2010
Chelsea had to win against Wigan to secure the Premier League title for a third time. At 2-0 up and with the visitors reduced to ten men, things were looking good at the break. What came next was one of our most carefree halves of football at a jubilant Stamford Bridge as Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues plundered goal after goal. It finished 8-0. What a day to secure our biggest Premier League victory!
Second half vs Barcelona, 24 April 2012
A second entry featuring Barcelona and, like the first a dozen years prior, a strong contender for our most iconic half of football. This was all about defending: Ramires’ goal just before the break meant we were going through on away goals but, with John Terry sent off and arguably the greatest attacking unit of all time coming at us, Chelsea backs were firmly pressed to the wall.
It felt like the longest half of football we had ever played. Lionel Messi missed a penalty and we survived several other narrow escapes, before Fernando Torres broke away in stoppage time add the cherry on top of the cake.
First half vs Arsenal, 22 March 2014
‘We came to kill, and in ten minutes we destroy.’ That was how Jose Mourinho described our start to this Premier League London derby. Chelsea were 2-0 up inside seven minutes and three ahead after 17, the Gunners blown away in Arsene Wenger’s 1000th game in charge. Oscar added a fourth before the break as 10-man Arsenal endured what Wenger called a ‘nightmare’, eventually losing 6-0.
Second half vs Man City, 3 December 2016
Chelsea made it eight league wins in a row with a wonderful second-half display at the Etihad. Gary Cahill’s own goal had given the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time, but after Kevin De Bruyne had missed a golden opportunity to double City’s lead, Antonio Conte’s Blues seized control. Our counter-attacking play was on point and goals from Diego Costa, Willian and Eden Hazard earned a mighty away win.
Second half vs Arsenal, 29 May 2019
A pretty insipid opening 45 minutes in the Europa League final preceded a barnstorming second half in which Chelsea blew Arsenal away. Olivier Giroud headed us in front against his old club before a Pedro strike and an Eden Hazard brace made sure of the outcome as Baku was painted blue.
First half vs Man City, 29 May 2021
Chelsea were firmly the underdogs in Porto but executed our gameplan to perfection to stifle Man City’s attacking threat and pose our own. Kai Havertz’s goal rounded off a wonderful half, and we preserved our advantage to lift Europe’s biggest prize for a second time.
Second half vs Real Betis, 28 May 2025
Another European final, and this time it was after the break when Chelsea hit top gear. 1-0 down at the break, Cole Palmer inspired the turnaround with assists for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson, before Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo added the gloss to another special European evening.