GROUP D: Porto 0 Chelsea 1:NICOLAS ANELKA seems to reserve his best for the closely contested Champions League tie. This was the third time Chelsea won by the only goal in Group D and on each occasion the France striker has been the scorer. It had been the same story against Porto at Stamford Bridge in the earlier fixture.
His predatory instincts here ensured his team will advance as the group winners and, moreover, it maintained Chelsea’s impressive recent run of results.
Few teams emerge victorious at this stadium but Carlo Ancelotti’s men heeded his call to show “personality and courage”.
Having been second best for spells of the first half, Chelsea raised themselves in the second and just about deserved to take all three points. The solidity of their defence, particularly in the second half, gave rise to optimism.
There has been much debate as to whether there is an advantage to advancing as group winners in the Champions League, as opposed to runners-up. In this season’s competition there are sure to be dangerous runners-up in the draw for the first knock-out phase, whom group winners would rather avoid.
There is also the theory that playing the second leg away from home, as the runners-up do, is more favourable in the modern game. It can play into the hands of counter-attacking sides, of which there are many.
Ancelotti and club captain John Terry, however, had both said on the eve of this tie that they had eyes only for the top spot in Group D. As they enter an important period of the season, with Premier League away fixtures looming at Arsenal and Manchester City, momentum is all important.
This was a test of Chelsea’s strength in depth. With an eye on the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Ancelotti rested Alex, Michael Essien and the Coles, Ashley and Joe. As significantly, he welcomed back Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba from injury and hoped that each of them could prove his fitness for Arsenal.
Drogba’s presence from the start had been a surprise; Ancelotti had said before the match that “I prefer to keep him on the bench”. Porto, as ever, showed themselves to be intuitive and technically accomplished. They might consistently sell their best players – the striker Lisandro Lopez departed for Lyon over the summer – but they always seem to have talent coming through.
They, too, have qualified for the last 16, for the sixth time in seven seasons, and, despite a raft of empty seats and a subdued atmosphere, they were determined to avenge their 1-0 defeat from Stamford Bridge.
They advertised their intent in the 20th minute. The impressive Fernando Belluschi’s shot ought to have been straightforward for Petr Cech but the Chelsea goalkeeper succeeded only in parrying the ball to the onrushing Falcao. The Czech, however, redeemed himself with a brave block at the striker’s feet.
Belluschi was denied by the crossbar shortly afterwards. Having checked inside, his curling right-footed effort, which had evaded the clutches of Cech, deserved better. Chelsea, who worked tirelessly to keep their defensive shape, merely flickered as an attacking threat in the first half. Anelka looked sharp but Chelsea’s only efforts in the first half were from distance.
Ancelotti’s tactics can appear stifling in European away ties as defensive security is prized. Mikel John Obi’s role in front of the back four was designed to keep the back door bolted while Anelka dropped deep to make a 4-3-2-1 when required.
Chelsea looked to Yuri Zhirkov, the Russia international making only his second start for the club, to offer width from left-back and they did raise the tempo and press forward more after the interval.
Deco, who received a generous ovation on his return to his former club, fired one shot wide from the edge of the area. Drogba, ominously for Arsenal, whom he loves to torment, began to feature more prominently.
Anelka’s performance merited a goal and his sixth of the season, and his first in eight appearances, crowned a slick Chelsea move. Zhirkov supplied Florent Malouda and the winger’s driven centre found Anelka who headed firmly home at point-blank range.
GuardianService
FC PORTO: Beto, Sapunaru (Farias 80), Rolando, Bruno Alves, Pereira, Belluschi (Guarin 71), Fernando, Raul Meireles, Varela (Hulk 59), Falcao, Rodriguez. Subs not used: Nuno, Valeri, Maicon, Costa. Booked: Fernando, Raul Meireles.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Zhirkov, Mikel, Ballack (Essien 68), Malouda, Deco (Joe Cole 76), Anelka, Drogba. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ashley Cole, Kalou, Alex, Belletti. Booked: Ballack.
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden).
