Champions League - Drogba hurt in Chelsea draw

Eurosport - Thu, 02 Oct 09:41:00 2008

Chelsea were held to a drab 0-0 draw at Champions League newcomers CFR Cluj as Didier Drogba was carried off on a stretcher with knee ligament damage.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Cluj-Chelsea Drogba - 0

The Ivory Coast striker was injured early in the second-half after colliding awkwardly with home defender Cadu as he slid in to try and convert a left-wing cross from Florent Malouda.

Cluj and Chelsea now share top spot in Group A with four points and it was the Romanians who had the better of the chances with Eugen Trica hitting the outside of the post late on.

The minnows defended deep and in numbers and counter-attacked effectively with Uruguyan Alvaro Pereira's fierce diagonal shot narrowly wide of the left post, the closest the capacity crowd came to seeing a goal in the opening 45 minutes.

Petr Cech also had to be alert to push Pereira's close range shot around the post in the closing stages after Jose Bosingwa failed to track the left-back.

Chelsea had plenty of possession but lacked a cutting edge and barely tested home keeper Eduard Stanciou.

Probably the Londoners' best chance came when a long diagonal ball reached half-time substitute Nicolas Anelka at the back post but instead of striking first time, he opted for a touch and his final effort was well wide as he tried to readjust his feet.

Frank Lampard, who had a close range effort blocked by Cadu just after half-time, scuffed a shot from the edge of the penalty area wide of the post in injury-time as the Premier League club were held in north-western Transylvania.

There was little of note in the opening 45 minutes although the home fans were excited when Trica found himself in space in the penalty area on two occasions but he failed to test Cech with volleys while only a vital header from Alex prevented Tony's deep cross finding the striker.

The Blues were ineffective going forward with Drogba failing to make any contact with an attempted volley when well placed and also putting a shot high and wide from the edge of the penalty area.

John Obi Mikel tried his luck from long range but his 30-yard shot trickled into the arms of Stanciou while Salomon Kalou could not control a bouncing through ball from Drogba when well placed as Cluj, who shocked Roma with a 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico in their Champions League debut, continued to show they are not to be taken lightly.

Bordeaux 1-3 Roma

In the other game, two goals by substitute Julio Baptista helped Roma recover from a goal down to win 3-1 at 10-man Bordeaux.

Playmaker Yoann Gourcuff opened the scoring for the hosts with a fine angled shot from the edge of the box on 18 minutes.

Bordeaux, thrashed 4-0 by Chelsea in their opening game, then had Brazilian defender Henrique sent-off for elbowing Simone Perrotta on 36.

Roma levelled with a header by Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic after 64 minutes and Baptista netted from a free-kick seven minutes later before sealing victory from close range seven minutes from time.

The visitors, missing captain Francesco Totti because of a knee problem, hardly created a first-half chance in a game played on a soggy pitch that also saw six yellow cards.

But Bordeaux looked increasingly nervous in the second period and Roma turned the match around with those two quickfire goals.

Lee Walker and Reuters / Eurosport

Comment 39 - 58 of 58

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  1. Go CFR! Jos debelsavu! :D

    From broáfka, on Fri 3 Oct 10:15AM

  2. I am a Romanian, but I stood for CHELSEA yesterday night. I am a fan of CFR Cluj's local rivals, U Cluj, which has more supporters in the city than CFR. I also stand for STEAUA Bucharest, you know this great team, of course. HAI U CLUJ-NAPOCA!!!! HAI STEAUA!!! JOS CFR!!!

    From dcblsavu, on Thu 2 Oct 11:07PM

  3. Keith R, U MOEONS .ARE U BLIND OR CRAZY..BUT I THOUGHT U BOTH OF THEM, EVEN DROGBA, CARVALHO, ESSIEN, DECO,JOE AND ASHLEY COLE, OR TERRY & ALEX GOT INJURED, THERE ARE NO EXCUSE FOR CHELSEA FOR NOT PLAYING WELL..MIGHTY CHELSEA IS MIGHTY CHELSEA, THEY NOT LIKE MANU OR ARSENAL WHO CANT PLAY WELL WITHOUT RONALDO OR FABREGAS...THEY JUST UNLUCKY WITH INJURIES LIST AFTER IMPRESSIVE START BUT I HOPE THEY WILL RECOVER SOON AND THIS TIME YOUNG PLAYER GET THEIR CHANCE...TRUE BLUE

    From andrew, on Thu 2 Oct 8:26PM

  4. chelski, hahaha...

    From Marius, on Thu 2 Oct 5:49PM

  5. cant believe you can get so many unknowledgeble p ricks on one thread , a point away form home in the champions league is a result for anybody !!! IDIOTS

    From handyandyisalways, on Thu 2 Oct 5:07PM

  6. I see Arsenal Fan's are getting all Excited and the Season has not even Kicked into gear!!!Bet you wont be saying the samething come Xmas

    From atkinsonpedro@..., on Thu 2 Oct 5:04PM

  7. y are u so particular about drogba and ronaldo u hypocrites? im sure if d team u support have players doing d same thing and getting away with, u wont be heard complaining did loudly.

    From gbadunolapade, on Thu 2 Oct 2:21PM

  8. And i dont totally wish for anyone to get injured,no matter who they are,but it's been coming along time for him,so im not gonna lose much sleep

    From !, on Thu 2 Oct 1:10PM

  9. Maybe its poetic justice for all the times drogba.
    The one man Olympic diving team actually got a proper injury.
    Im just suprised he didnt represent the ivory coast in the beijing olympics .
    He's have got gold fo sho.
    [ticks off drogba from wish list]-[looks at the name of ronaldo].
    Oh if only.
    I guess i shouldnt hope for too much .one cheat at a time eh

    From !, on Thu 2 Oct 12:31PM

  10. Cheeky Chelsea thought they would win for sure.Hahaha, they were in for a surprise.How can they underestimate a team who beat AS Roma 2-1?

    From irina, on Thu 2 Oct 10:45AM

  11. Just for a change THE CHEAT DROGBA may actually be hurt, instead of his STUPID PRETENDING and STUPID ROLLING OVER AND OVER AND OVER. IS THIS GETTING BORING ?? so is drogba's pretending
    What a shame. Mind you, he could be conning us all INSTEAD OF JUST THE STUPID REFEREES WHO FALL FOR HIS RUBBISH WEEK IN WEEK OUT.
    Chelsea fans, don't bother with your biased bile.
    I won't be reading it.

    From PETER W, on Thu 2 Oct 9:43AM

  12. come on the might of the reds of liverpool poor old drogba never mind stay down

    From peterscott, on Thu 2 Oct 9:37AM

  13. DROGBA GET DOWN AND STAY DOWN!

    From peterscott, on Thu 2 Oct 9:34AM

  14. Chealsea start seems not so lucky, as too many injurys there are like in Arsenal's squad last season. But I hope your squad will recover soon and you can play footbal with your best players. Good luck!

    From Arsenal fan

    From ghiedrukas, on Thu 2 Oct 9:33AM

  15. There is no way Drogba deserves this injury. Keith R your comment is sick.

    From Susan, on Thu 2 Oct 9:18AM

  16. Its all happening yet again chelsea being hit with this string of injuries what is going on without a doubt the likes of Deco Essien and the two Coles were sadly missed chelsea just had nothing to attack with and they just held on with the skin of there teeth I'm so very suprised Mr Scolari tolerated any of it I hope not is this the start of chelsea having yet another bad run of bad luck as the dream started so well its also so very worrying that we now have to rely on Anelka up front I think many chelsea fans like myself are feeling somewhat concerned at this injury situation but I'm sure Big Phil will find a way through it somehow.

    From edward.wheeler3@..., on Thu 2 Oct 9:16AM

  17. STILL ON TOP,CHELSEA 4 LIFE

    From henry, on Thu 2 Oct 9:15AM

  18. Bordeaux - CFR Cluj 0-2
    CFR Cluj - Bordeaux 2-1
    CFR Cluj - Roma 1-0
    Chelsea - CFR Cluj 1-1

    From mboldojaru, on Thu 2 Oct 8:19AM

  19. Mighty Chelsea? ....no history, no passion, no class, no dignity... dont normally wish injury on anyone, but the sneering, arrogant Dogbreath deserves all he gets..

    From Keith R, on Thu 2 Oct 8:09AM

  20. Roma fans must be wishing Totti stays injured coz every game he misses, Roma generally win !!!!

    From joe scribe, on Thu 2 Oct 7:54AM
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