Champions League - Chelsea stutter through

Eurosport - Wed, 10 Dec 09:34:00 2008

Chelsea stumbled through to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over CFR Cluj at Stamford Bridge.

FOOTBALL; Didier Drogba, John Terry, Chelsea v Cluj, Dec 2008 - 0

Needing a win to guarantee progress in the competition, Salomon Kalou put the home side in front at the end of a first-half they had laboured through, although the visitors stunned Luiz Felipe Scolari's men with Yssouf Kone's equaliser nine minutes after the break.

Scolari had preferred Nicolas Anelka to Didier Drogba up front, but the Ivory Coast striker came off the bench to prod a winning goal on 71 minutes to save any embarrassment.

Roma's victory at home to Bordeaux meant that a draw would have been enough for Chelsea to qualify, although they still finish the group campaign as runners-up to the Italians, who should have a favourable draw when the competition resumes in the New Year.

Nervous tension was building in the home side after they made a stuttering start to the match, unable to find the clinical pass in the final-third as Cluj put up a strong defensive showing.

The hosts survived a genuine scare in the 17th minute when Hugo Alcantara met a cross from the tricky Juan Culio and headed back across goal, with John Mikel Obi needing to clear from a yard out with Cadu waiting to tap into an open goal.

Joe Cole, returning to the side after a two-match absence with an ankle injury, then went close as the home side gradually began to find their feet.

The former West Ham midfielder controlled Michael Ballack's cross on the edge of the box before firing wide of Nuno Claro's near post.

As it turned out, Chelsea had their goal handed to them on a plate six minutes before the break when a deep free-kick into the box somehow found its way to the feet of the Ivorian forward, completely unmarked six yards out. After some neat control, Kalou slammed the ball high into the net to break the deadlock and settle some nerves.

However, despite looking more relaxed after the break, the home side suffered the indignity of a Cluj equaliser nine minutes into the second half when Kone pulled away from marker Alex at the back post to meet Cristian Panin's cross and power a fine header past Petr Cech.

With Roma taking the lead over Bordeaux in Italy there was less urgency for a win, but the increasingly frustrated Scolari replaced Kalou with Drogba for the final half-hour and it was a move that paid almost immediate dividends.

Chelsea broke through the middle when Mikel lifted a cute pass into the path of Cole, who found Drogba inside the box. The striker took one touch to control the ball before quickly stabbing a shot under the body of Claro to put the home side back in front.

The remainder of the match was played out with complete ease as Chelsea knocked the ball about with no real urgency, content to take the victory out of a disjointed and lacklustre performance in front of an unsatisfied home crowd.

Roma 2-0 Bordeaux

Roma finished top of Group A with a comfortable victory over Bordeaux thanks to second-half goals from Matteo Brighi and Francesco Totti.

The match was goalless at half-time after a tense opening 45 minutes, both sides aware that a victory would ensure passage into the knockout stages regardless of the result at Stamford Bridge.

But midfielder Brighi controlled a low Simone Perrotta cross from the right and drove home to open the scoring just after the hour.

Totti fired in from the edge of the box to seal victory in the 79th minute.

The visitors paid the price for being too timid for a side needing a win to progress.

Roma have fought back from losing their opening game to Romanian debutants CFR Cluj to top the group with 12 points, one more than Chelsea.

Bordeaux finished third with seven and go through to the UEFA Cup.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport

Comment 91 - 110 of 110

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  1. sapper commando 25 talks typical northen sh**te stick­ to the beano and pull yer neck in, or i will speak to­ your co and get you jankers!!!!

    From korkycatacrobat, on Wed 10 Dec 10:28PM

  2. com'on guys all that did chelsea in the pitch was­ just because off luck and experience
    they did not­ shined like other times
    i think that there era is over­ they don't stand a chance winning the cup
    theyrs­ players are too old and they can't match the speed­ and desire of the young players
    u must admit that if­ they don't do smthg about this they won' win a­ thing

    From klyko, on Wed 10 Dec 7:01PM

  3. Well done chelsea! (that includes Scolari) good win­ over CFR Cluj. Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba scoring­ and both of them have good footwork and great­ sportsmanship. Drogba back on the score sheet now.­ Chelsea could win the champions league and even the­ Premier League to.

    From Nathan, on Wed 10 Dec 6:55PM

  4. Nice discussions going on here, I am glad Chelsea fans­ are real gentlemen who prefer clean conversations,­ unlike fans of other clubs that are unbearably vulgar.­ keep it up! we are the real champions!!!!!

    From Henry Ejiro, on Wed 10 Dec 4:43PM

  5. DAVID B a girl called called david?

    still johnny cash­ did a boy called sue

    From U R SOLES, on Wed 10 Dec 4:14PM

  6. Amazing add a bit of abuse & its ok but leave it­ out & its invaled

    From U R SOLES, on Wed 10 Dec 4:11PM

  7. SAPPACOMMANDO get a life you plonker

    From U R SOLES, on Wed 10 Dec 4:10PM

  8. Come on chelsea, your player paid in high-salaries.­ Since you lost to Roma, You didn't performs well.­ Your players either stay in chelsea and perform a­ fantastic game to the supporter or just leave chelsea­ if your players feels lots of pressure. Luiz Felipe­ Scolari , I don't think some of your players are­ good enough to handle the big game. If they don't ,­ just let them leave chelsea. Don't waste the time.

    From ching, on Wed 10 Dec 3:29PM

  9. Now they played not as quick as before. I think Luiz­ Felipe Scolari need to buy some Young super star­ instead of using that old footballer doing nothing on­ the pitch (especially some old midfielder). At least­ Young footballer doesn’t feel much pressure then those­ old footballer. Chelsea is not a team that has made­ themselves pressures. It's a team made other teams­ to be afraid. If your player feel pressure in the pitch­ then please ask them to leave Chelsea.

    From ching, on Wed 10 Dec 3:12PM

  10. Young super star instead of using that old footballer­ doing nothing on the pitch (especially some old­ midfielder). At least Young footballer doesn’t feel­ much pressure then those old footballer. Chelsea is not­ a team that has made themselves pressures. It's a­ team made other teams to be afraid. If your player feel­ pressure in the pitch then please ask them to leave­ Chelsea.

    From ching, on Wed 10 Dec 3:11PM

  11. I like Chelsea...I'm an open minded girl from US,­ I'm interested in exotic things, photography,­ outdoors and sports...I have my photos on --- Tallhub­ Co m ---, I love tall guys!
    Do you love travelling and­ have some experience? Just find me out.

    From David B, on Wed 10 Dec 2:20PM

  12. the matchcast is wrong because the eurosport did not­ include MIKEL in the line up and that is realy not­ funny .................. i hope it was a mistake.....

    From clement l, on Wed 10 Dec 12:53PM

  13. There was nothing Drog was doing on the bench for 60­ minutes. Pls tell the big Phil not to discourage him­ bringing him in late in every game.

    From papaogos, on Wed 10 Dec 10:33AM

  14. Now Chelsea has the most overrated manager. Avram was­ way better than Scolari. Fact!

    From , on Wed 10 Dec 10:29AM

  15. Nice return for Drogba, but in terms of influence on­ the game, Keane did better for Liverpool! Did you see­ how he passed, created, forced his way forward, made­ space - only lacked a goal, but deserved 2 or 3.

    From yankeered9119, on Wed 10 Dec 9:51AM

  16. Blueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees for­ lifeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

    From Aboagye Agyeman, on Wed 10 Dec 9:32AM

  17. Forza Magica!

    From Baywatch, on Wed 10 Dec 9:30AM

  18. Didier Drogba is back! Go Chelsea, Go Drogba!

    From Susan, on Wed 10 Dec 9:29AM

  19. Shaun, if you're going to play these silly­ "look-at-me" attention-seeking we games then­ I suggest you learn how to spell "invalid".­ You plonker! :0)

    From maccaboy1uk, on Wed 10 Dec 9:29AM

  20. If chelski are so good why were players and fans faces­ etched with worry they just are not good enough on the­ big occasion too many average players

    From richard, on Wed 10 Dec 9:08AM
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