Chelsea got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 win over Porto at Stamford Bridge.

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Nicolas Anelka's strike at the start of the second half handed the Blues three points at the first time of asking in Group D, as Carlo Ancelotti's first European game in charge of the Premier League side ended in success.

On the balance of play Chelsea were deserving of their victory, but Porto asked questions of their opponents and were a constant danger when on the attack. However, Jesualdo Ferreira's side were unable to find the breakthrough their opponents did, and even ended the game with 10 men when Fernando was booked for a second time in the last few seconds of the encounter.

The hangover at Stamford Bridge from last season's semi-final exit at the hands of the competition's eventual winners Barcelona was still evident in the absences of both Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa, and the commencement of their bans was very noticeable in a first half which Chelsea controlled for the most part.

Anelka lacked the strength and ability to flat-track bully the Porto back four which Drogba so enjoys doing, but admittedly made up for that with a display of finesse when firing Chelsea ahead in the 48th minute, while Branislav Ivanovic was no creative substitute for Bosingwa at right-back, which proved to be Porto's best avenue of attack when in possession.

Despite lacking in both positions, Chelsea did manage to gain the upper hand in the first half, and Frank Lampard had the right idea in the horrendously wet conditions when he tested Porto keeper Helton from 35 yards with a low skidding shot inside the opening minutes. Of more note however was the free header the England international had shortly after, a chance he failed to make count from six yards as Helton parried.

Michael Essien, who replaced Jon Obi Mikel in midfield following the win over Stoke at the weekend, and Florent Malouda both picked up early yellow cards as they set about their opponents with vigour, and Anelka had a sight of goal which was foiled by a sliding block from Rolando. The half chances continued to flow, much like the rain, as Anelka then half-volleyed weakly into Helton's arms after a nice link-up between Malouda and Lampard fed him at the near post.

However, Porto were not without their flashes as they reminded Chelsea of their prowess on the break. Fredy Guarin looped a header just over as the Portuguese outfit attacked down the left, while Raul Meireles failed to capitalise when left free to meet a far-post cross on the stroke of half time. But it was Chelsea who went in with the better chances to their credit, with Salomon Kalou thwarted by a well-timed slide from Jorge Fucile when primed to shoot after Essien and Lampard combined to put him in just before the break.

Goalless at the interval, that changed immediately after the restart as Anelka found his finishing touch with aplomb. Denied by Helton when shooting from 12 yards after Kalou's toe-poke through, the Frenchman was quickest to the rebound and clipped the ball in from a very tight angle with impressive skill.

Having done what they could not in the first half, Chelsea went close a number of times to scoring again as the second half progressed.

Malouda headed into the side netting when he met an Ashley Cole cross from the left, while it took a top-class save from Helton to deny Kalou whose effort looked in all the way. Ivanovic, who provided the cross for Kalou's header, then sent his own effort just over the bar from the resulting corner as Chelsea sought that second goal with impatience.

Ashley Cole thought he was about to add it when in on the angle, only for substitute Silvestre Varela to get a timely toe-poke in at the crucial moment, but a reminder was served to Chelsea of Porto's threat on the break when Guarin made an overlap on the right and forced a save from Petr Cech as full time approached.

The fragility of Chelsea's lead was highlighted by Varela's volley which Cech had to turn away in the closing stages as Porto sensed a late equaliser,

There was then a scare for Chelsea as the ball was flashed across the face of goal, and Fernando was shown a second yellow card in the dying moments of injury time as Porto ended the game a man light.