Henrique Hilario was apparently praised by those close to him on the Chelsea bench after Kepa Arrizabalaga’s dramatic late penalty save against Plymouth Argyle.
The Athletic captured the scene on the dugout following the Spaniard’s FA Cup heroics on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel’s foot men step up
Pre-match, all eyes had been on Thomas Tuchel’s staff, as they took over managerial duties in the absence of their covid positive manager.
Arno Michels was handed the main reins, with Zsolt Low, Anthony Barry and Hilario providing the additional support.
Up in the heavens sat first-team analyst Benny Weber, who had a direct link to Tuchel.
Weber might’ve needed to mute the German’s microphone at one point, due to Chelsea’s sluggish start on the weekend.
Plymouth went in front with less than ten minutes on the clock thanks to a glancing Macaulay Gillesphey header.
Cesar Azpilicueta equalised for the Champions League holders just before the interval, saving the Blues’ blushes from the opening exchanges.
Chelsea owe Kepa again
During the first half, Michels certainly looked like a man who usually lets Tuchel do the talking on the touchline.
According to The Athletic, he spent most of his time ‘standing stiffly’ in his technical area or sat ‘hunched in conversation with Low and Barry’.
However, as the game grew older, Michels simultaneously grew into his position.
He was ‘more frequently joined in issuing instructions and encouragement by Low and Barry.’
Chelsea continued to mount the pressure on the pitch, but were unable to pick apart Plymouth’s defence in normal time.
Another 30-minutes was added to the tie, in which the Premier League side’s prowess finally paid dividends.
A well-crafted move ended with a low finish from Marcos Alonso to send the Blues in front.
Yet, their League 1 opponents almost sent the tie to penalties, had it not been for Kepa’s instinctive reactions.
Malang Sarr tried to resolve a poor back pass but just made the situation worse by fouling Ryan Hardie in the box.
Hardie then stepped up to take the spot-kick in the 118th minute, only to see his rather tame effort collected by the goalkeeper.
Straight after Kepa had preserved Chelsea’s lead and saved Sarr’s skin, Hilario was ‘congratulated by those around him’, as pointed out by The Athletic.
Evidently, whatever the former Blues ‘keeper has been teaching his pupils at Cobham is clearly working.
Just over 24 hours on from Kepa’s moment in the spotlight, Edouard Mendy stepped up for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations penalty shootout.
Hilario, we tip our hat to you.
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