Chelsea qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a second-half demolition of Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge.
After a lacklustre opening half, Chelsea made it four straight wins in Group F thanks to goals from Nicolas Anelka, two from Branislav Ivanovic and a penalty from Didier Drogba.
Substitute Nikita Bazhenov scored a late consolation goal for the Russians in the 86th minute.
Chelsea, requiring a win for automatic qualification to the knockout stage, were slow to get into their stride and could have conceded a goal as early as the seventh minute.
John Obi Mikel was guilty of losing possession and when Chelsea failed to clear the ball, Aiden McGeady fired just wide of Petr Cech's right-hand upright.
Moments later, Spartak goalkeeper Andriy Dykan required lengthy treatment after a collision with Drogba.
Chelsea responded with their first real attack of the game and Yury Zhirkov won a corner after some fine attacking play on the left-flank.
But they failed to make their advantage pay and Spartak once again took the game to the English champions.
However, the Chelsea defence ensured that Spartak were limited to long-range shots and Welliton's effort in the 12th minute was well wide.
Two minutes later, Chelsea's France international Nicolas Anelka cut inside from the left win and curled a stunning shot just beyond the far post from 20 yards.
In the 22nd minute, Drogba collected a pass from Ramires and forced Dykan into a fine save at the near post as Chelsea increased the pressure.
Spartak were beginning to push Chelsea deeper towards their own goal but they failed to create a clear-cut opening.
In the 31st minute though Chelsea engineered another opportunity to open the scoring.
A corner from Yury Zhirkov was met by the head of Drogba but the Ivory Coast striker, captain in the absence of rested John Terry, could not hit the target.
But moments later Cech had to be at his best to punch away a dipping shot from Spartak captain Alex.
The Brazilian's low effort was destined for the bottom corner until Cech intervened.
The Russian were on top now with Chelsea chasing shadows for a change.
Dmitri Kombarov should have done better in the 40th minute when he was supplied by Alex on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot far too high to trouble Cech.
But Chelsea's Brazilian defender Alex should have put the home side ahead moments later when Branislav Ivanovic headed on Zhirkov's corner.
However the Chelsea player put the ball over the crossbar from point-blank range.
HT: Chelsea 0 Spartak Moscow 0
Chelsea broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Salomon Kalou put Anelka in the clear and the France international made no mistake from an acute angle.
It was Anelka's fifth goal of the current European campaign and his 10th of the season.
But Spartak hit back immediately and Alex's deflected 20-yard shot had to be pushed away for a corner.
Chelsea made it two in the 61st minute after Evgeni Makeev brought down Drogba inside the penalty area.
The Ivory Coast striker picked himself up and planted a low spot-kick into the right corner of the net.
It was Drogba's first goal in Europe this season and put the Blues in total control of the game.
Chelsea sealed the victory in the 66th minute after Andrei Ivanov hauled down Kalou on the right-hand edge of the penalty area.
Drogba sent over the free-kick and Ivanovic got ahead of his marker to plant a firm header beyond Dykan.
The game was halted momentarily when a Russian fan ran on to the pitch before he was escorted off by Chelsea stewards.
Kalou should have added a fourth in the 75th minute but he sent a 20-yard rising drive over the bar.
The Chelsea striker then forced Dykan into a fine save in the 78th minute with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area.
Substitute Daniel Sturridge then missed a sitter from two yards before Nikita Bazhenov scored a consolation goal for the Russians, which looked distinctly offside.
However, Chelsea had the last word when Ivanovic scored his second in injury-time.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Blackburn 1v2 Chelsea
Scorer: Mwaruwari (21) Scorer: Anelka (39)
Scorer: Ivanovic (83)
Attendance: 25,836 FT (16:54)
Match Reports
Chelsea maintained a five-point gap at the top of the league with a battling if unspectacular victory at Ewood Park.
Goals in either half from Nicolas Anelka and Branislav Ivanovic were enough to overturn a deficit brought about by Benjani's early header, providing a win that for long stages had looked in doubt.
Blackburn had started the brighter and deservedly went in front midway through the first half with the Blues struggling to find any rhythm, but Carlo Ancelotti's men know how to scrap, and return unbeaten from Ewood Park for the fifth league game in a row.
Chelsea arrived in the north-west unbeaten, and un-breached, in five Premier League games with a five-point lead to match, but without a goal to show in either of our previous two Premier League outings on the road.
The major team news was the return of Alex to central defence after a four-week absence, the Brazilian replacing Jose Bosingwa who was rested for this tricky trip. Ivanovic moved out to right-back.
As has become customary for a Chelsea trip to Blackburn, the heavens opened around 15 minutes before kick-off and continued into the game, though it would put no dampener on what would become a bright Blue away day.
Blackburn are known for their battling abilities though and it was they who registered the first effort of the game, Morten Gamst Pedersen's sweetly struck half-volley stinging John Terry's thigh as the defender blocked the shot.
The captain had to be quick off the mark shortly afterwards to deflect Mame Biram Diouf's effort behind as Rovers forced the first corner.
Diouf then sent an innocuous chip straight at Petr Cech, but the goalkeeper slipped at a critical moment, and had to quickly recover his footing to tip it behind, then preventing Benjani's low toe-poke with his legs.
The home side were clearly on top, some would argue dominant, and they deservedly took the lead after 21 minutes, when El-Hadji Diouf was afforded space on the left to cross, and picked out Benjani, making his first league start for Rovers, to head home from six yards.
Chelsea responded well, forcing a corner, but then allowed Blackburn to break, and El-Hadji Diouf's cross looked like it would provide a second goal in a matter of four minutes only for Cech to tip it away to safety.
At the other end Yury Zhirkov had a shot blocked by a flying Christopher Samba, and Michael Essien bent one just the wrong side of the post, but the away side still did not look so threatening.
Time to revert to Plan B then, rather than trying to pass it through a rigid Rovers defence, Florent Malouda opted for the more direct route, slinging over a cross from deep on the left towards Drogba, who nodded down into Nicolas Anelka's path for the Frenchman to level the scores.
It was his ninth of the season and set Chelsea up for an improved second period.
At half-time Blackburn manager Sam Alllardyce replaced his goalscorer with Jason Roberts, who would provide a more physical presence.
Ten minutes in, Ashley Cole passed up a great chance to give Chelsea the lead, slicing wide after Malouda had crossed from the right, where he had taken up residence since the break.
On the hour, Zhirkov was the beneficiary of a deflection which threw the ball into his path inside the Blackburn area, but his shot was tame enough for Paul Robinson to parry, and then Samba's gangly frame was just too short to slide Rovers back in front after the ball had bounced around the Chelsea area towards the far post.
Eight minutes later there were more Chelsea chances, first Anelka and then Drogba firing at home defenders.
Carlo Ancelotti was by now thinking about changes, and Daniel Sturridge replaced Malouda for the final 19 minutes.
It took the 21-year-old just two minutes to make an impact, beating two men before firing hard and high into the side netting from distance. Much of the travelling support thought it had gone in.
Ivanovic was booked for a tug on Phil Jones after surrendering possession inside the Blackburn half, and then Ryan Nelsen joined him for the same crime on Drogba, in almost exactly the same position on the pitch - that it was only a yellow for the Kiwi might be seen as fortuitous.
Either side of this Rovers had two golden opportunities, first Mame Biram Diouf, now the only Diouf left on the field, headed straight at Cech, and then Roberts slotted past the keeper but wide of the post after beating Cole.
Just as you were beginning to think the win might prove elusive, the winner arrived, and from an unlikely source.
Ivanovic only seems to score against sides from this part of the world, Liverpool, Bolton, and now Blackburn, popping up at the far post to nod home, unmarked, after some patient build-up had resulted in Zhirkov chipping across the box from a tight angle.
What timing from the Serbian, just how important these three points prove to be remains to be seen, but Blackburn is no easy place to come, and this will be one of our harder fought wins of the season.
Scorer: Ivanovic (83)
Attendance: 25,836 FT (16:54)
Match Reports
Chelsea maintained a five-point gap at the top of the league with a battling if unspectacular victory at Ewood Park.
Goals in either half from Nicolas Anelka and Branislav Ivanovic were enough to overturn a deficit brought about by Benjani's early header, providing a win that for long stages had looked in doubt.
Blackburn had started the brighter and deservedly went in front midway through the first half with the Blues struggling to find any rhythm, but Carlo Ancelotti's men know how to scrap, and return unbeaten from Ewood Park for the fifth league game in a row.
Chelsea arrived in the north-west unbeaten, and un-breached, in five Premier League games with a five-point lead to match, but without a goal to show in either of our previous two Premier League outings on the road.
The major team news was the return of Alex to central defence after a four-week absence, the Brazilian replacing Jose Bosingwa who was rested for this tricky trip. Ivanovic moved out to right-back.
As has become customary for a Chelsea trip to Blackburn, the heavens opened around 15 minutes before kick-off and continued into the game, though it would put no dampener on what would become a bright Blue away day.
Blackburn are known for their battling abilities though and it was they who registered the first effort of the game, Morten Gamst Pedersen's sweetly struck half-volley stinging John Terry's thigh as the defender blocked the shot.
The captain had to be quick off the mark shortly afterwards to deflect Mame Biram Diouf's effort behind as Rovers forced the first corner.
Diouf then sent an innocuous chip straight at Petr Cech, but the goalkeeper slipped at a critical moment, and had to quickly recover his footing to tip it behind, then preventing Benjani's low toe-poke with his legs.
The home side were clearly on top, some would argue dominant, and they deservedly took the lead after 21 minutes, when El-Hadji Diouf was afforded space on the left to cross, and picked out Benjani, making his first league start for Rovers, to head home from six yards.
Chelsea responded well, forcing a corner, but then allowed Blackburn to break, and El-Hadji Diouf's cross looked like it would provide a second goal in a matter of four minutes only for Cech to tip it away to safety.
At the other end Yury Zhirkov had a shot blocked by a flying Christopher Samba, and Michael Essien bent one just the wrong side of the post, but the away side still did not look so threatening.
Time to revert to Plan B then, rather than trying to pass it through a rigid Rovers defence, Florent Malouda opted for the more direct route, slinging over a cross from deep on the left towards Drogba, who nodded down into Nicolas Anelka's path for the Frenchman to level the scores.
It was his ninth of the season and set Chelsea up for an improved second period.
At half-time Blackburn manager Sam Alllardyce replaced his goalscorer with Jason Roberts, who would provide a more physical presence.
Ten minutes in, Ashley Cole passed up a great chance to give Chelsea the lead, slicing wide after Malouda had crossed from the right, where he had taken up residence since the break.
On the hour, Zhirkov was the beneficiary of a deflection which threw the ball into his path inside the Blackburn area, but his shot was tame enough for Paul Robinson to parry, and then Samba's gangly frame was just too short to slide Rovers back in front after the ball had bounced around the Chelsea area towards the far post.
Eight minutes later there were more Chelsea chances, first Anelka and then Drogba firing at home defenders.
Carlo Ancelotti was by now thinking about changes, and Daniel Sturridge replaced Malouda for the final 19 minutes.
It took the 21-year-old just two minutes to make an impact, beating two men before firing hard and high into the side netting from distance. Much of the travelling support thought it had gone in.
Ivanovic was booked for a tug on Phil Jones after surrendering possession inside the Blackburn half, and then Ryan Nelsen joined him for the same crime on Drogba, in almost exactly the same position on the pitch - that it was only a yellow for the Kiwi might be seen as fortuitous.
Either side of this Rovers had two golden opportunities, first Mame Biram Diouf, now the only Diouf left on the field, headed straight at Cech, and then Roberts slotted past the keeper but wide of the post after beating Cole.
Just as you were beginning to think the win might prove elusive, the winner arrived, and from an unlikely source.
Ivanovic only seems to score against sides from this part of the world, Liverpool, Bolton, and now Blackburn, popping up at the far post to nod home, unmarked, after some patient build-up had resulted in Zhirkov chipping across the box from a tight angle.
What timing from the Serbian, just how important these three points prove to be remains to be seen, but Blackburn is no easy place to come, and this will be one of our harder fought wins of the season.
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