Source: Telegraph
Chelsea 1 Porto 0: match report
Utterly in keeping with the monsoon conditions, Chelsea made heavy weather of defeating Porto on Tuesday night. Nicolas Anelka steadied the ship, scoring a wonderful winner just after the break, but this was hardly the confident start to the Champions League expected under Carlo Ancelotti.[LNB]Chelsea urgently missed the battering-ram presence of the suspended Didier Drogba and might have dropped points but for the defensive excellence of Ricardo Carvalho, the former Porto centre-half who made some vital last-ditch tackles. By the end, Chelsea were clinging on and Ashley Cole came to their rescue with some important clearances.[LNB]The England left-back finished the game a bruised figure following a nasty, late challenge from Fernando that drew a second yellow and expulsion. If Carlo Ancelotti was thankful to Ashley Cole and Carvalho, and delighted by Anelka's goal and the return of Joe Cole to the bench, Chelsea's coach may be concerned by his team's occasional wastefulness in possession and the team's lack of real width. [LNB]Until Anelka struck so beautifully three minutes into the second half, Chelsea had endured awkward times, their composure not helped by a system that seemed too narrow and difficult conditions. The tears that had flooded the Bridge when Europe's glitzy circus last pitched camp on the banks of the Thames, bringing that contentious semi-final loss to Barcelona, were replaced with relentless rain last night. [LNB]As the game wore on, as plumes of water leapt up behind the ball, Porto had been quickest to settle, their initially confident tone set by Hulk. The deft forward kept running strongly at Chelsea's defence, imperiously holding off John Terry at one point and then demanding a save from Petr Cech. Hulk's threat became so substantial that Michael Essien foolishly dived in on Porto's No 12, earning a caution. Anchoring midfield, Essien's rashness looked particularly as opponents kept running at him, inviting another risky challenge. [LNB]Until Anelka reminded the Bridge of his class, Chelsea's attacking edge appeared tempered by the suspension of Didier Drogba, following his enraged response to the Barcelona exit. Anelka led the line willingly enough, supported by Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou, but their threat really only flickered for the opening 45 minutes. [LNB]With both wingers tucked in, Chelsea sought width from Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic and both full-backs produced a few crosses, although Ancelotti's tactics really left them far too narrow. Frank Lampard did meet one Ivanovic delivery with a powerful header punched away by Helton. [LNB]Chelsea suffered a nervy moment on their next visit to Helton's area. Rising for the ball, John Terry took a forearm in the face from Porto's captain, Bruno Alves, and fell to the sodden earth, lying immobile for a worrying minute. Gladiator that he is, Terry soon recovered, waving away the stretcher, hobbling to the touchline before resuming his battle with Hulk. [LNB]Before Anelka's settling strike, some of Porto's slick, counter-attacking football left Chelsea groggy. Brazil's Hulk buzzed around, Colombia's Fredy Guarin kept raiding through the middle, even heading just over, while Uruguay's Fucile charged forward from right-back, keeping Ashley Cole on his toes. At times, it seemed like half of Latin America was rolling towards Cech's box. [LNB]Fucile also showed Porto's defensive resilience, sliding in to dispossess Kalou with only Helton exposed just before the break. No matter. Three minutes into the second period, Kalou ushered Anelka through the middle of Porto's defence, the Frenchman just onside. Helton saved well but was caught out by Anelka's brilliant follow-up, the ball swept between the Brazilian and his left-hand upright. [LNB]The lead seized, Chelsea should really have doubled their advantage 10 minutes later. When Ivanovic cut the ball back, the unmarked Kalou directed his header too close to Helton who saved. [LNB]Porto's coach, Jesualdo Ferreira, introduced a famous name, Falcao, through the middle, pushing Hulk out to the left where he began to send beads of sweat mixing with the rain on Ivanovic's forehead. Bustling into Chelsea's area, Hulk was denied only by a skilled piece of defending by Ricardo Carvalho, the former Porto player reading the danger well, timing his interception to perfection. [LNB]Down the other end, Silvestre Varela slid in athletically to take the ball off Ashley Cole's toes. The game was opening up, both defences becoming stretched. If Kalou had showed an element of composure, he could have settled this game midway through the second half. [LNB]With 15 minutes remaining, Ancelotti acted, removing Kalou, sending on Juliano Belletti to stiffen midfield. The move resembled a declaration by Chelsea's coach, the Italian clearly wanting to close the game down and secure the points.[LNB]These were troubled times for Chelsea. Porto really went for it, pouring in orange waves towards Cech. Hulk cut in again from the left and sent the ball into the side-netting. Carvalho, defending immaculately, slid in to nick the ball away from the feet of Varela. Guarin shot goalwards but Cech saved.[LNB]Essien, with a surging run, and Lampard, with a deflected drive, sought to lift the siege but it was Carvalho and Ashley Cole who steered Chelsea to safety.[LNB]
