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And that's how it's done. The ball was kicked sideways from the centre spot, the referee's whistle sounded and the triumphant strains of Blue Is The Colour echoed around Stamford Bridge.
There is often a debate about the best time to score. From the last attack of the match, four minutes into injury time. Usually works.
When the big one goes off, you want to be standing next to Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo, really you do. As the Australians would have it, if he fell into a tub full of breasts he's not the sort to come out sucking his thumb.
Late drama: Moses is wrestled to the floor after heading home Chelsea's winner in injury time
Head boy: Moses scores a dramatic winner for the host with 94 minutes on the clock
Match facts
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand, Ramires, Mikel, Hazard, Mata, Oscar (Moses 80),Torres (Sturridge 90).
Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Romeu, Marin, Terry, Azpilicueta.
Booked: Luiz.
Goals: Torres 6, Oscar 40, Moses 90.
Shakhtar Donetsk: Pyatov, Srna, Kucher, Rakitskiy, Rat, Hubschman, Fernandinho, Alex Teixeira (Ilsinho 78), Mkhitaryan, Willian ,Luiz Adriano.
Subs Not Used: Kanibolotskiy, Stepanenko, Eduardo, Shevchuk, Douglas Costa, Chygrynskiy.
Booked: Alex Teixeira.
Goals: Willian 9,47.
Attendance: 41,067
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain).
Di Matteo introduced Victor Moses late in the game for Oscar and was rewarded with a header of match-winning quality and a result that propels Chelsea to the knockout stages if they can avoid defeat in Turin later this month.
How, who knows? Shakhtar Donetsk deserved at least a draw from this match, probably more, and it will be a better tournament if they stay in it. It wasn't even as if they truly settled for a point at the end.
Shakhtar stayed on the front foot all the way, had as many chances as Chelsea to secure three points and were caught out by the oldest trick in football's book: the well worked set-piece.
Conceding a corner at the latest moment possible, they failed to pick up Moses at the near post and his header from Juan Mata's perfect delivery left goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov without a hope.
'Moses answered Chelsea's prayers,' punned one radio ham. There will be plenty of that material about on the back pages on Thursday morning, too.
Yet it was Chelsea who were seconds from being cast into the wilderness, had they failed to win here. No reigning champions of Europe have ever failed to make it through the group stages of this tournament the following season, but that looked to be Chelsea's fate. Points shared would have left them needing a win against Juventus away to maintain control of their destiny. Now it is the Italians who could be rendered helpless.
All smiles: Oscar is mobbed after giving Chelsea the lead at the interval
It was the usual story in many ways. How wrong we are to doubt Chelsea. How wrong we almost always are to forget their quite remarkable talent for revival in Europe. This was a huge result, not just for the club but for Di Matteo's squad because it was achieved without the famous triumvirate of John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard.
Terry was on the bench, lacking match fitness following his domestic suspension, Cole and Lampard injured. Not that this was an advert for a seamlessly unfolding future, either. Ryan Bertrand, in for Cole, had a horrid time, while Chelsea never looked secure at the back without their controversial captain.
Brace yourself: Willian scored two goals for the away side at Stamford Bridge
Brace yourself: Willian scored two goals for the away side at Stamford Bridge
The mood may alter from here, though. Chelsea showed that in Oscar and Moses, for instance, they have young men who can win a big match, while Mata and Eden Hazard will only improve with time in English football.
The problem is at the back. Shorn of their old reliables, Chelsea offer a hell of a ride, but with no guarantee of staying on the rails. Moses's goal was the third time the champions had taken the lead and had there been even 10 minutes left in the match chances are it would not have been enough.
Chelsea's 1-0 lead lasted three minutes, and the 2-1 advantage stretched to seven minutes, either side of half-time. They will need to raise their game defensively if they are to survive in Turin.
Pre-match entertainment was provided by the incongruous sight of Fernando Torres receiving the Golden Boot award from the 2012 European Championship, winning the prize having started just two games for Spain. As if to prove that when your luck's in, your luck's in, Torres then promptly opened the scoring for the home team with a goal after six minutes that had no small element of fortune.
Goalkeeper Pyatov had already looked shaky under the pressure of a fairly innocuous David Luiz free-kick and when Oscar crossed the ball from the right after five minutes, his moment of hesitation appeared to have given Torres the opening a Golden Boot winner needs.
Instead, he let the ball run and even allowing for another unconvincing gathering from Pyatov, danger was averted. Groans all round, and familiar sideways glances. So what a lovely surprise when almost immediately central defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy got into a pickle when receiving a pass from left back Razvan Rat.
Opener: Torres takes advantage of a howler from the away side to score the first goal of the game before celebrating with Oscar (below)
Rakitskiy turned towards goal but under-hit his pass to Pyatov who, forced into a dash, slammed his clearance against the right leg of Torres as the striker charged him down. Given no time to think about the moment, or even influence it, Torres made no mistake.
It is rarely simple for Chelsea without Terry, however, and Shakh-tar were soon level. Misfortune dogged Bertrand as much as the spritely opposition and he slipped, giving Fernandinho a clearer path into the Chelsea penalty area than anticipated. His cut-back pass was perfectly weighted and the brilliant Willian kept his finish low. His combinations with Fernandinho were the best of Donetsk and they could be superb if purchased as a pair.
Ecstasy: Mikel looked to have scored a crucial third for the European Cup holders
Agony: The Chelsea midfielder reacts after seeing his goal disallowed
A Fernandinho shot in the 15th minute produced an outstanding save from Petr Cech, but the Brazilian had already turned to focus on his defensive priorities when the parried ball was cleared. He is that sort of player: skilled, yet dutiful. Willian is the headline act, Fernandinho the class act.
After Oscar had restored Chelsea's lead just before half-time, Willian sliced through their defences shortly after the restart. Fernandino fed Darijo Srna on the right, his cross was stepped over by Alex Teixeira and Willian finished, sublimely.
On your bike: Terry's future is uncertain after being left out of Chelsea's starting line-up
Bench: The former England captain watches on from the sidelines at Stamford Bridge
In the aftermath, it was Donetsk who came closest to grabbing a winner when a Rat shot hit a post. Chelsea had the ball in the net through John Mikel Obi but it was rightly given offside, and a penalty appeal by Ramires after a clash with Srna looked less convincing with each repeated viewing.
Moses's winner raised the roof, but the true technical highlight of the night for the home side was Oscar's goal. Mata overhit a pass which goalkeeper Pyatov headed out from well beyond the penalty area only for Oscar to strike the ball first time back over his head from roughly 40 yards. Give that man an Oscar, as they say. Stranger things have happened, particularly with Chelsea involved.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2229382/Chelsea-3-Shakhtar-Donetsk-2--match-report.html#ixzz2Bb6lDu8M
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