Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1: Anelka gets Hiddink era off to the perfect start

21 February 2009 19:44
 Aston Villa v Chelsea: How the game unfolded[LNB]ASTON VILLA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]CHELSEA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0[LNB]Bolton 2 West Ham 1[LNB]Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0[LNB]Stoke 2 Portsmouth 2[LNB] Guus Hiddink celebrated his first game in charge of Chelsea with a victory, but it was not without its trials and tribulations.Nicolas Anelka's 21st goal of the season was all that separated the sides at Villa Park, allowing Chelsea to leapfrog Martin O'Neill's team into third in the race for Champions League football next season.But Ashley Young struck the crossbar with a 20-yard free-kick in the 34th minute before Villa dominated the second half, only to fall short in their bid to salvage a point, suffering their first Barclays Premier League defeat for 14 matches.[LNB] Men in black: Nicolas Anelka celebrates his goal with his team-mates[LNB]John Terry returned from suspension to skipper Chelsea in Guus Hiddink's first match in charge of the Blues against Barclays Premier League top-four rivals Aston Villa.Hiddink opted for Paulo Ferreira at left back, with Ashley Cole serving his own ban, while Alex started at centre-back despite claims he was unfit due to an ankle injury.In naming his strongest side in the battle of two teams aiming for a Champions League place next season, Hiddink also opted to partner Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba in attack.Villa showed four changes from the team that drew 1-1 with CSKA Moscow on Wednesday in the first leg of their last-32 UEFA Cup tie.Striker Emile Heskey and winger James Milner both started after shaking off Achilles and thigh problems respectively.Brad Friedel returned ahead of Brad Guzan in goal while Carlos Cuellar was preferred in defence to Craig Gardner as Villa set their sights on equalling a club record of 14 league games unbeaten.[LNB] New era: Guus Hiddink in the Villa Park dugout[LNB] In front of a full Villa Park it was Drogba who had the first chance in the third minute, rifling in an angled right-foot drive comfortably smothered by Friedel.Within a minute Villa countered, with Milner's low ball into the near post spilled by Petr Cech whilst under pressure from Gabriel Agbonlahor.Although the Villa striker managed to pounce on the loose ball and feed Heskey, his shot on the slide was skied into the Holte End.With the visitors looking the slightly stronger side in the early stages, Frank Lampard then sent a dipping 35-yard right-foot drive narrowly over the crossbar in the ninth minute.After Agbonlahor scuffed a shot into the turf that was gratefully accepted by Cech moments later, Villa then pounced on a mistake from Ferreira.With a pass to Terry too short, Milner seized on the chance and curled a low ball into the area, only for Alex to intercept with Ashley Young lurking behind.[LNB] Carlos the tackle: Nicolas Anelka and Carlos Cuellar battle for the ball[LNB] Aston Villa v Chelsea: How the game unfolded[LNB]ASTON VILLA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]CHELSEA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0[LNB]Bolton 2 West Ham 1[LNB]Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0[LNB]Stoke 2 Portsmouth 2[LNB] [LNB]But within a minute Chelsea had taken the lead courtesy of superb work in the build-up from Lampard.Showing quick feet, Lampard shimmied his way between Curtis Davies and Stiliyan Petrov before playing a low pass into the area for Anelka.The French striker, back in form after scoring a hat-trick in last week's 3-1 FA Cup victory at Watford, then lifted the ball over the advancing Friedel for his 21st goal of the season, but first in the league for nine games.[LNB]The goal gave Chelsea the confidence to then go on and dominate in the minutes that followed as Villa struggled to gain a footing in the game.Fine approach play culminated in Michael Ballack squeezing in a shot from the left-hand side of the area that curled into the arms of Friedel.Salomon Kalou then charged towards the area on the half-hour and, after playing a one-two with Lampard on the edge of the box, it took a clearance from Cuellar to halt the attack.[LNB] I don't believe it: Martin O'Neill shows his frustration on the touchline[LNB] But from the corner, Terry was allowed to rise unmarked and power in a goal-bound header that forced Friedel into a superb fingertip save, with the America international managing to push the ball around the post.[LNB]Villa finally gained some breathing space in the 34th minute, and came within a whisker of the equaliser when Ashley Young curled a 20-yard free-kick up and over the wall, only to strike the crossbar.From the rebound, and with the goal at his mercy, Heskey followed up with a diving header, but it finished yards wide.With Villa having found their composure, a curling Young cross from the left was inches past the left-hand post as Cech had opted not to come and collect, potentially fearing a knock-down from Heskey. For the second time in the match a corner combination involving Lampard and Terry almost culminated in a goal.But from the former's delivery in the 49th minute, and the latter's header, the Blues skipper was denied again, this time by a clearance off the line by Petrov.Following the first booking of the game for Cuellar for a tackle from behind on Anelka three minutes later, Villa came close to the equaliser moments later.A looping ball down the left was missed by Alex, allowing Gabriel Agbonlahor a clear sight of Cech's goal.But from an angle as Agbonlahor attempted to curl his shot home inside the near post, the Chelsea number one saved his side.[LNB] Me and my shadow: Frank Lampard and Stiliyan Petrov[LNB] From the ensuing corner, Young's high ball to the far post was sidefooted goalwards by Milner, only for Drogba to step to the fore with the block.Midway through the half Cech again denied Villa, turning aside a 20-yard left-foot snap shot from skipper Gareth Barry.Villa manager Martin O'Neill then went for broke by throwing on striker John Carew in the 70th minute for defender Davies.[LNB] Cech then made a more comfortable save in the 75th minute from Barry, clutching a right-foot curled effort from 20 yards after the midfielder had been teed up by Heskey.With Villa pressing for the equaliser, Chelsea were looking dangerous on the break, with first Deco screwing one shot wide and then Drogba firing over from a tight angle.Bookings for Ballack, Jose Bosingwa and Terry followed in the final eight minutes of a match in which Villa ultimately ran out of steam and ideas.During the four minutes of injury time it took a fingertip save from Friedel to deny Ballack.[LNB] Aston Villa v Chelsea: How the game unfolded[LNB]ASTON VILLA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]CHELSEA NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0[LNB]Bolton 2 West Ham 1[LNB]Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0[LNB]Stoke 2 Portsmouth 2[LNB][LNB] [LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail