Source: Telegraph
Chelsea defeat Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan in preseason friendly
Goals from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard two of the players closest to Jose Mourinho earned Chelsea victory over their former manager's present club Inter Milan on a balmy evening in southern California.
It was also a sweet moment for Carlo Ancelotti, who two matches into his reign as Chelsea manager, defeated Mourinho, who he clashed with at Milan last season.
Mourinho has attempted to take both Drogba and Lampard with him to Inter since he took over last summer and both showed why. Drogba struck early, a low shot, an instinctive finish, while Lampard coolly added a second-half penalty.
Chelsea have now won both of their pre-season matches in the United States with ease, having also defeated Seattle Sounders last Saturday. This was a more impressive performance, given the calibre of the opponents with Chelsea appearing far more advanced in their preparations and fitness for the new campaign.
In fairness Inter are a week behind in their training Serie A kicking off later than the Premier League with Mourinho in the process of re-shaping his squad although it was a surprise to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic making a second-half substitute's appearance given he is, the manager hopes, being sold to Barcelona in return for £38 million, Samuel Eto'o and Alex Hleb on loan for a season. A pretty special deal for the Special One.
Ibrahimovic fluffed his one chance, steering a shot into the side-netting from a corner.
Ancelotti is still hoping to make additions to his squad, he is searching for a 'creative' player, and there were further signs as to how he wants his team to play. Chelsea again fielded two strikers a different pair in each half with a diamond in midfield although, this time, he shifted around the personnel.
With Michael Ballack having returned to England, to receive treatment for a toe injury, ruling him out of the rest of the tour and Yuri Zhirkov not yet eligible to play as the Russian international has still to receive a work permit, Ancelotti's options were limited. But he started with four of the African players who had returned later for training after international commitments.
Lateness was a bit of a theme for this much-hyped game, the first of three Chelsea will complete as part of the so-called World Football Challenge. However the organisation was chaotic.
Traffic around the stadium, and in the roads approaching it, was grid-locked for hours meaning thousands of fans missed the first-half. Even then there were large areas of the impressive bowl, the venue for the 1994 World Cup Final, that were empty even though tickets were at a premium after 60,000 tickets were sold two weeks. The official attendance for a 90,000 plus stadium was 81,224 but it appeared less.
After Drogba's 11th minute goal goalkeeper Vid Belec should perhaps have done better to block the shot Lampard almost added a second with a thumping drive from 25 yards that flew narrowly wide. Chelsea were rarely under threat as Inter laboured and they added a second soon into the second half when Daniel Sturridge, who again looked assured and dangerous, shot only for it to be diverted by Nicolas Burdisso who is one of the Inter players to have been offered to Chelsea as part of the deal to try and sign Ricardo Carvalho and Deco - with an outstretched arm. Lampard sent the ball low in the net.
By now Mourinho had grown irritated. He switched his team around into a more attacking formation and they began to press, but didn't threaten to get back into the game while Chelsea nearly added a third only for Belec to smother his shot from Sturridge's astute pass. For Ancelotti it was a satisfying evening, defeating the Italian champions, the city neighbours of the club he has recently left, and, more pertinently, Mourinho.
Chelsea now travel back east, to Baltimore, to face AC Milan on Friday.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech (Turnbull, 63); Ivanovic (Mancienne, 63), Terry, Carvalho (Alex, h-t), A Cole (Hutchinson, 79); Mikel; Essien (Belletti, 63), Lampard (Di Santo, 88), Malouda (Deco, h-t); Kalou (Anelka, h-t), Drogba (Sturridge, h-t).
Inter Milan (4-4-2): Belec; Santon, Cordoba, Burdisso, Chivu (Mancini, 59); Zanetti, Cambiasso (Krhin, 80), Vieira, Motta (Ibrahimovic, 59); Obi (Milito, h-t), Balotelli (Quaresma, 80).
