Blues frustrated in Greece
19 Feb 2008 - 22:00:20
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- Blues frustrated in Greece
Chelsea secured a goalless draw away to Olympiacos in the first leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie, leaving them well placed for the Stamford Bridge return.
Didier Drogba was back to lead the Chelsea attack after the Africa Cup of Nations, but there was no place for either Frank Lampard or John Terry in the starting line-up.
Michael Essien drove forward from midfield in the first minute, but drilled his shot well wide of target from 30 yards out and then the game became bogged down in a midfield battle.
After 15 minutes Drogba crossed the ball in from the left and after a couple of rebounds, Florent Malouda fired a shot straight at keeper Antonios Nikopolidis.
On the half-hour, Chelsea had an escape as a corner from the right was headed on by Ieroklis Stoltidis and Vassilios Torosidis somehow glanced the ball wide from inside the six-yard box.
That proved to be the best chance of the first half, as the two sides continued to cancel each other out right up to the interval.
The second half proved to be little better, with Chelsea seemingly content to secure a goalless draw and rely on finishing the job on home turf.
It took almost until the hour mark for either side to threaten after the interval as home skipper Predrag Djordjevic drilled in a low, left-foot shot and Petr Cech had to get down smartly at his near post to make the save.
Fifteen minutes from time Avram Grant threw on Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou to try and pep up his attack, but still clear chances proved to be elusive for both sides.
The best opening of the game arrived deep into stoppage time as a ball into the home area from deep on the Chelsea left fell to Kalou, but he miscontrolled and keeper Nikopolidis gathered the loose ball.