Chelsea 1 - 0 Reading

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Wednesday Jan 30 2008 07:45

Chelsea equalled their club record of nine straight victories as Michael Ballack scored the decisive goal that sank uninspired Reading 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

The goal, on 32 minutes, sealed three vital points for Chelsea who remain third in the Premier League table.

Early pressure by the visitors saw two corners in succession in the first three minutes, the second seeing striker Leroy Lita head towards goal but Petr Cech held the ball comfortably.

Chelsea's first attack on goal came from a free-kick after Shaun Wright-Phillips was hacked down just outside the Reading penalty area by Kalifa Cisse.

Ballack curled the ball around the wall but Marcus Hahnemann dived to his left to smother the shot.

On 22 minutes Reading were sliced apart when Claude Makelele bisected their rearguard to send Shaun Wright-Phillips free on goal.

The England winger tried to send the ball past Hahnemann but the American produced a wonderful save to deny the former Manchester City man.

Hahnemann's blushes were spared seconds later when he punched a Joe Cole corner back toward his own goal. Luckily John Oster was on the far post to clear the ball.

But the breakthrough was as classy as it was expected. On 32 minutes, Paulo Ferreira swept across a deep byline drive and Ballack rose majestically to head the ball powerfully wide of the hapless Hahnemann.

Cole almost doubled the Blues' lead seconds after the break. His snaking long run on the right ended with him firing in a daisy-cutter of a right-foot drive that flashed across the Reading goal and just missed the far post.

Hahnemann foiled Wright-Phillips again on 52 minutes . The winger again found himself one-one one with the goalkeeper and again the stopper came out on top.Nicolas Anelka almost doubled Chelsea's lead on 65 minutes when a quick counter-attack by Chelsea ended with Wayne Bridge sending the ball across to the far post.

The France international headed down towards goal only for Hahnemann to thwart the striker with a fine block.James Harper has a glorious chance on 72 minutes to equalise but the Royals midfielder fluffed an easy eight-yard volley from Lita's cross.

The Ballack/Ferreira combination almost worked again with eight minutes remaining but this time the German captain's header just inched over the crossbar.

Chelsea ran the clock down on an unconvincing display but it was enough to beat lacklustre Reading.

Live Commentary

90
Chris Foy blows the full time whistle and Chelsea get a well earned three points this evening at Stamford Bridge.

90
Reading are now lobbing the ball up top hoping that it might drop to someone's feet and allow them to get a shot off at goal, desperate times means desperate measures for the Royals.

89
It's not looking likely for Reading to grab an equaliser as the game moves closer to the end, Chelsea are very much in control and are not looking likely to concede a goal now.

88
Alex hasn't missed a trick in the air tonight and his domination continued as he beat Doyle to a header and cleared the ball from danger.

85
Ivar Ingimarsson made a perfect well timed tackle to deny Anelka as he was about to pull the trigger and fire a shot at goal, good defending from the Icelandic.

83
Steve Sidwell replaces Shaun Wright Phillips.

83
Bobby Convey is replaced by Liam Rosenior.

81
Michael Ballack shows how good he is in the air with brilliant timing and execution of a powerful header that must of missed the goal by a couple of inches.

79
Marek Matejovsky comes on to replace John Oster in a like for like swap.

78
There is activity down on the Reading bench and eventually Steve Coppell looks to bring on some fresh legs.

77
Florent Malouda is replaces by Claudio Pizzaro.

76
The game is starting to get a bit scrappy and the players are crashing into each other with some tasty tackles, but Chris Foy isn't letting play go and he will not be shy to get his notebook out.

73
Leroy Lita almost creating something out of nothing for Reading as he surprisingly got past Bridge and zipped a dangerous ball right across the face of the Chelsea goal.

71
Reading are not lying down but Chelsea need to start converting their good chances if they are to stay in front in the game.

69
Although Reading aren't doing anything wrong at the moment, they are doing well to keep the score line as it is but the players look tired and Steve Coppell should be thinking about some substitutes.

66
It's Reading that have changed the tempo of the game, they are closing Chelsea down much quicker and beating them to the ball. Steve Coppell will be pleased with his side's start to the second half but they need to capitalise on their chances.

64
This time it was Nicolas Anelka who was to blame for a ridiculous miss for Chelsea, Wayne Bridge delivered a good ball into the box and the Frenchman rose above Cisse to head the ball directly at Hahnemann who parried well.

62
Kevin Doyle again did well to beat Alex to the ball just outside the penalty area, his first touch was excellent and his turn was even better but his shot from around twenty five yards flew past the post for a goal kick.

59
The tempo has most definately risen and the game seems to have turned towards Reading's favour, Chelsea are on the back foot and look slightly nervy at the moment.

56
Reading caused some nervousness amongst Petr Cech and his defenders as Graeme Murty advanced down the right and crossed into the area for Kevin Doyle to head the ball back across the face of goal and almost knick the ball into the back of the net.

53
How many chances does Shaun Wright Phillips want? This time the winger broke the offside trap and cruised through one-on-one with Marcus Hahnemann who saved brilliantly at his feet to deny Chelsea a second goal.

50
Chelsea had another great chance through Shaun Wright Phillips who found himself in another glorious position, but his shot blazed over the cross bar and he yet again wastes another chance.

47
Steve Coppell's half time teamtalk almost went straight out of the window when Joe Cole cut inside from the right and smashed which whizzed past Hahnemann's right hand post.

46
Chelsea get the game back underway at Stamford Bridge.

45
Chris Foy blows his whistle for the half time interval and Chelsea go in with the lead.

44
Reading win their fifth corner which is cleared by easily by Chelsea, but at least the Royals are creating some chances and they could knick a goal if they are lucky.

42
Nicolas Anelka did fanstically well to run a good fourty yards with the ball at his feet gliding past three Reading players, he then played the ball across the box for Malouda to dummy for Joe Cole but Murty managed to stick his foot in the way.

40
Florent Malouda brought down Stephen Hunt on the right hand side of the penalty area but John Oster's chipped delivery was easily cleared and Chelsea hit Reading on the counter attack.

38
It won't be long before Chelsea add to their goal and make Reading pay for sitting back and letting Chelsea control the game.

36
Reading are under relentless pressure from the home side, who continue to dominate possession and are moving the ball around the field superbly.

34
Chelsea are deservedly in the lead and look in total control of the game, Reading just can't cope with Chelsea's attacking players with Joe Cole and Shaun Wright Phillips causing them all sorts of problems.

32
GOAL! CHELSEA 1 - 0 READING (BALLACK) Michael Ballack rose highest from a corner and powered a header past a helpless Marcus Hahnemann to score his 3rd league goal of the season.

28
From the resulting corner Joe Cole whipped the ball in and it was Carvalho who got something on the ball to direct it down towards the goal but James Harper was there for Reading to clear off the line.

27
It was Florent Malouda this time for Chelsea who caused Reading some problems as he did well to run onto the ball and drive the ball towards the bottom corner of the goal, only yet again for yes you guessed it, Marcus Hahnemann to make a superb save.

25
Reading are giving a good account of themselves so far but they are lucky not to be behind after two great saves from Marcus Hahnemann kept his team in the game.

22
Marcus Hahnemann makes another great save after Claude Makelele cut the Reading defence open with a brilliant ball to Shaun Wright Phillips who stayed on his feet despite a foul from Murty and Hahnemann did fantastically well to save the shot.

19
Marcus Hahnemann makes a fantastic save from Joe Cole as the midfielder danced past Graeme Murty and fired a shot that was destined for the top corner, only for the big American to tip his effort over the bar.

16
Reading won another corner but this time Stephen Hunt's delivery was very poor and Chelsea cleared the cross at the near post.

14
Leroy Lita made a totally pointless foul on Wayne Bridge with the defender in possession of the ball and causing posing no threat to Reading, but the Striker stupidly committed a foul but escaped a booking.

11
Reading have made a steady start to the game and are holding their own, but the pace of Shaun Wright Phillips and Nicolas Anelka has already posed a few problems to the Royals.

9
Michael Ballack tried am ambitious effort from around twenty five yards out to the right of the box, but Stephen Hunt did well to get himself in the way of his strike which looked to be going wide anyway.

7
Kalifa Cisse will be glad to have escaped without a booking from Chris Foy after he brought Shaun Wright Phillips down cynically just outside the penalty area, luckily for him though Michael Ballack's free kick was saved easily by Marcus Hahnemann.

5
Returning to the team tonight Paulo Ferreira did well to get past Nicky Shorey down the right and whip a decent cross into the penalty area, but Ivar Ingimarsson was there to clear the ball to safety for Reading.

4
Nicholas Anelka wearing the number 39 shirt and looks to be playing a lonely role up front on his own, with Joe Cole and Florent Malouda likely to offer support to him.

3
Tonight see's Chelsea trying to extend their unbeaten 75 game home record in all competitions.

2
Chelsea deal well with some early pressure from Reading and clear the danger from two successive Reading corners.

1
Kevin Doyle surprises Chelsea with an immediate snap shot straight from the kick off which flicked off Ricardo Carvalho and went out for a corner to Reading.

1
Reading get the game underway here at Stamford Bridge.

0
The referee tonight is Chris Foy (Merseyside).

0
Steve Coppell is also without three of squad because of international duties in Africa but he will be relieved that John Oster has fully recovered from an ankle injury in time for the game.

0
Michael Ballack has been passed fit after recovering from a calf strain however Avram Grant is without four players who are at the African Cup of Nations along with John Terry, Frank Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko.

0
Reading Line-up: Hahnemann, Murty, Cisse, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Oster, Harper, Hunt, Convey, Lita, Doyle

0
Chelsea Line-up: Cech, Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Makelele, Ballack, Joe Cole, Anelka, Malouda

Statistics

Chelsea

Shots on target	10
Shots off target	6
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	14
Offsides	1
Corners	10

Reading

Shots on target	2
Shots off target	5
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	9
Offsides	0
Corners	9

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