LAMPARD HANDS CHELSEA
WIN
Chelsea started their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win
over Belgian side Anderlecht, thanks to Frank Lampard's driven
free-kick 19 minutes into a low-key match.
More workmanlike than inspirational, Chelsea were thankful for
contentious free-kick and a hideous goalkeeping error for the
winner, as well as a stroke of luck when a deflected Anthony Vanden
Borre shot beat Petr Cech but hit the post in the second
half.
But, in truth, they dominated the game and were good value for
their victory, even if it they are not yet reaching the heights of
quality that Jose Mourinho's men represented after a similarly
starchy start to their stellar last season.
Chelsea had shown their superior levels through the opening half,
but were thankful to a howler from goalkeeper Daniel Zitka in
handing them the lead.
Zitka had started impressively, turning away a Michael Essien
volley from a tight angle and Damien Duff's drive from the
aftermath.
Lampard had a half-chance that he skied - in stark contract to last
season's heroics - and, on the break, Serhat should have done
better after an incisive pass from Mbo M'penza.
Hannu Tihinen was close to getting on the end of a corner that
caused chaos, but John Terry's inadvertent touch with an arm denied
the visitor's an unlikely lead.
Finally the breakthrough came. A free-kick on the left side of the
area was touched to Lampard who powered in a drive that Zitka
should have saved comfortably but lost in flight and, rather
embarrassingly, leapt past the ball before it rippled the
net.
Anything but fluent, Chelsea kept to the job in hand - with the
majestic looking partnership of Essien and Claude Makelele
dictating play despite the hardworking but misfiring display of
Lampard alongside them.
The England international was, at least, causing problems from set
pieces and he nearly grabbed his second goal with a driven
free-kick on the hour mark, only for Zitka to throw himself to his
right to tip wide, somewhat theatrically.
It was another shot from range that very nearly caught Chelsea out
for an equaliser soon after, handing the Premiership side a timely
reminder that they could not expect an easy ride.
Vanden Borre's low drive looked comfortable for Cech, but a nasty
deflection off Terry took the ball past the goalkeeper and off the
face of the post, bouncing to a grateful Chelsea defence.
The scare signalled the arrival of Shaun Wright-Phillips from the
substitutes' bench and he immediately had an impact down the
right.
Didier Drogba's tenacity nearly handed Lampard a second goal two
minutes from time, only for the midfielder to be denied by a fine
piece of defending from Yves Vanderhaeghe - getting across at the
critical juncture.
Essien could have then capped his fine display with a goal, but
fired narrowly wide as the game ticked into injury time.
So, another good day's work for Chelsea, and you can't help but
feel that, when the football starts flowing, this is a side that
will be feared by pretty much anybody.
- credit: Patrick Goss, Sky
Sports
