Chelsea 4 Atletico 0
KING SALOMON ... two-goal Kalou gets up high to
put Chelsea 2-0 up
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Salomon Kalou's double, a Frank Lampard special and a
late own goal left the Spaniards sparko at Stamford Bridge.
Carlo Ancelotti's men top Group D with a maximum nine
points from three games - and they can secure qualification to the
next phase in Madrid in a fortnight.
The result was a much-needed boost for the Londoners
following their defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend.
Stamford Bridge did its best to lift the Blues and the
football quickly matched the lively atmosphere.
Juliano Belletti's poor cross inside the opening 60
seconds was probably as a result of his disbelief that he was given
so much space down the Chelsea right.
His next centre a minute later found the head of Kalou
but he headed wide.
Atletico responded and Diego Forlan twice forced Petr
Cech to work, while Sergio Aguero found the side-netting.
Kalou produced an unbelievable miss 12 yards out after
a slick passing move had bamboozled the Spanish backline, leaving
the Ivorian in front of goal with the keeper badly exposed. But
with half the goal to aim at, Kalou dragged his effort wide.
Kalou was then lucky to escape conceding a penalty
after tugging away at his man in the box.
Cech palmed away Forlan's right-footed drive before
Atletico keeper Sergio Asenjo repelled a similar effort from
Kalou.
But the Chelsea man finally got his name on the
scoresheet just before the break as another slick Blues move saw
Ashley Cole exchange passes with Frank Lampard before his
well-directed pass found Kalou to slide the ball home.
Asenjo denied the lively Nicolas Anelka at the start of
the second half but on 52 minutes the Spanish net was breached
again as Kalou converted a header from a corner.
Cech used his legs to thwart Aguero after the Argie had
raced through.
But Atletico were killed off on 69 minutes when Lampard
grabbed his first Blues goal since August 18. He played a one-two
with Michael Essien before drilling inside the near post from 25
yards.
Chelsea cruised to the final whistle but Louis Perea's
own goal in injury-time added the gloss.