Source: Daily_Mail
Chelsea 1 Porto 0: Nicolas Anelka's the top dog in Didier Drogba's absence
Before Chelsea reach the Champions League final Carlo Ancelotti has identified as the minimum requirement for this season, they need to remember how long and potentially perilous a road it is to Madrid. [LNB]They made hard work of the first of their first-round encounters, delivering a performance that suggested they were no more inspired by the draw that John Terry actually had a hand in than the rest of us.[LNB]In the end they got there, and it is a measure of their sheer quality and professionalism that they did. [LNB]After what must have been something of a dressing down from Ancelotti duringthe interval, Nicolas Anelka took little more than three minutes to score what amounted to an excellent goal.[LNB] Clinical finish: Anelka scores for Chelsea[LNB]But for that opening 45 minutes they appeared to overlook the factthat Porto gave Manchester United a run for their money last season,and they also underestimated just how much they struggle in the absenceof Didier Drogba. [LNB]Anelka might find such an assessment rather unfair when his finishwas as good as it was, but Drogba is to Chelsea what Wayne Rooney andFernando Torres are to their two clubs, and success is unlikely to comefor Ancelotti in the absence of the brilliant, and last nightsuspended, Ivory Coast striker.Especially when the Italian might not be able to sign a replacement until January 2011. [LNB]It is with some relief that Ancelotti will probably reflect on this game, not least becauseof the price his more recent predecessors have had to pay for early season apathy in Europe. [LNB]A draw with Rosenborg and a crushing defeat in Rome proved costly for Jose Mourinho and Luiz Felipe Scolari.[LNB]A master of European football, Ancelotti made sure there would be nosuch repeat on this occasion. After a stuttering first 45 minutes theywere much better after the break. Much more like the side that havemade a perfect start to their Barclays Premier League campaign withfive straight wins.[LNB] Aerial tussle: Branislav Ivanovic and Saloman Kalou do battle with Porto keeper Da Silva Helton[LNB]This amounted to the continuation of another impressive run. The19th consecutive European tie here at Stamford Bridge without defeat.But they should have won it more comfortably than they did, given theamount of possession they enjoyed. [LNB]The lack a focal point without Drogba but they also lacked their usual drive untilAncelotti, a two-times winner of the Champions League as manager of AC Milan, delivered his half-time observations. [LNB]For Porto it was a disappointing end with Fernando sent off for a second caution following a crude challenge on Ashley Cole. [LNB]Incredible is not a word one could normally associate with Porto's Hulk but he wascertainly impressive here, threatening Chelsea with a fine demonstration of his talents in the opening stages of this contest. [LNB]First came some excellent passing and dribbling, then a blistering shot that forcedPetr Cech to make a desperate save with his knees. [LNB]For Chelsea, however, Lampard looked sharp in the rain, a shot fromdistance and a header from close range demanding that Helton make twoterrific saves of his own.[LNB] [LNB] Saloman Kalou goes close[LNB]Keen to prove that the absence of the suspended Drogba had notlessened their ability to start as well in this competition as theyhave the Barclays Premier League,Chelsea continued to put their visitors under pressure. [LNB]So much so that it took an elbow in the face of Terry to halt one particular attack.[LNB]Bruno Alves was responsible for what looked like a clear foul but itwas only when Michael Ballack caught Hulk with a reckless challengethat Konrad Plautz produced his yellow card. Another booking thenfollowed for Florent Malouda, for a similarly clumsy challenge on FredyGuarin.[LNB]A side that secured a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last season continuedto cause problems for Chelsea. Cristian Rodriguez sent a shot whistlingwide of Cech's left-hand post. [LNB]But Chelsea continued to look the stronger of the two teams, withAnelka and Lampard both guilty of squandering decent chances to land anearly blow. [LNB]Salomon Kalou also threatened, only to see Helton deny Ancelotti's side again.[LNB] Fizzing: Michael Ballack fires a shot[LNB]Ancelotti was a constant presence in the technical area, frustrated, seemingly, with histeam's apparent inability to convert the kind of opportunities Drogba has been buryingwith impressive ease of late. His arms crossed, the Italian was growing increasingly impatient. [LNB]But then his side, according to the statisticians, were enjoying 60per cent of the ball. However, Guarin went closest of all to breakingthe deadlock in the first half with a header that skimmed the roof ofCech's net.[LNB] Anelka's goal was all the more impressive for the fact that he didit the hard way. Having seen his first effort parried by Helton, hesomehow struck from a much tighter angle with a shot that first had toclear a sliding defender before squeezing between Porto's goalkeeperand his left-hand post.[LNB]But even after that, chances were wasted. Not least by Kalou. He sent his first effort, aheader, into the side-netting before seeing Helton save the second.[LNB]Other opportunities would follow, but again none were converted.Something that made the occasional second-half attack from Porto allthe more terrifying. But an excellent start for Ancelotti continues. Six competitive games, six wins.[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB][LNB] Chelsea v Porto: as it happenedUEFA could ban English clubs from Champions League over wild spendingCarlo Ancelotti insists Chelsea must at least reach Champions League finalCHELSEA FC
