Belletti takes the free-kick but sends it straight into the wall. Lampard is furious that he took the set-piece after he had lined himself up for the shot.

Beattie gets a chance out of nothing but his low effort sails wide of Cech's post.

The ball sits up for Lampard who fires a hopeful shot goal-wards but it bounces wide of the target.

Chelsea just cannot get a clear opening through the crowd of Stoke bodies on the edge of their own box and it may take something special to get a goal back, though even a draw here is not good enough by Chelsea's standards.

Lampard cuts onto his left foot and goes to shoot from 20-yards but Shawcross gets a superb block in. That is what the two Stoke centre-halves have done so well all day.

Stoke head clear a Lampard corner but only as far as Mikel who strikes the ball on the volley but it comes off a red and white shirt and deflects over the bar for another corner.

There have been a lot of desperate shots from Chelsea today and the Chelsea fans are showing their frustration from the stands.

Anelka pulls away from his marker and hits a left-footed shot from 20-yards out but he snatches at it and the ball rolls wide.

Alex sends a 'hit and hope' shot at goal from way out and unsurprisingly fails to trouble Sorensen.

Ballack sends a header goal-wards but it lacks pace and Alex tries to nick the ball around Sorensen but he knocks it wide of the target instead.

Scolari is shrugging his shoulders on the touchline as his side are creating chance after chance but cannot seem to find the back of the net.

Anelka finds an opening and plays through Lampard who drags his shot across the face of goal and wide of the post from the corner of the six-yard box.

Lampard gets a desperate shot away and it deflects off a Stoke player before whistling past the far post.

Chelsea look shell-shocked following that goal and things seem to get worse and worse for Luiz Felipe Scolari

Ballack hits a crisp shot from 20-yards but Sorensen is equal to it and makes a decent save.

Beattie finds some room on the edge of the box and tries to beat Cech with a neat lob over his head but it loops onto the roof of the net. A decent effort from the debutant.

The home crowd are beginning to get restless as Stoke continue to defend stubbornly

The visitors put some good approach play together before Beattie tries to search out Delap in the box but Cole is first to the ball and heads it to safety.

Malouda plants a cross onto the head of Ballack who directs his effort wide of the target from close range. An awful miss from a player of his standards.

Stoke are getting plenty of men behind the ball and Chelsea are going to have their work cut out trying to force their way through.

Bosingwa tries his luck with a shot from distance but it sails high and into the stand behind the goal.

Lampard causes Sorensen more problems with another effort from outside the box and the keeper does well to turn the ball around the post.

Cole sends a looping cross into the box and Ballack challenges the keeper who goes down awkwardly.

Lampard's swerving shot forces yet another superb save out of Sorensen. Stoke have their no. 1 to thank for still holding onto their clean sheet.

Malouda cuts the ball back for Ashley Cole who drills a shot at goal and stings the palms of Sorensen who turns the ball over the bar.

Lampard swings a corner into the danger area and Anelka gets on the end of it but Sorensen makes a good save to prevent his header nestling in the top corner.

Kalou takes the ball to the byline and cuts it back looking for a team-mate but both Bosingwa and Ballack fail to get it under control and Cresswell clears the danger.

Anelka picks up the ball 20-yards out and gets it under control before trying his luck with a shot but drags it wide of the mark.

Malouda reaches the byline and Sorensen flaps at the cross. The ball almost drops to Ballack six-yards out and with an open goal, but a red and white shirt scrambles the ball away.

Lampard lets fly from outside the box and strikes the ball sweetly but it is straight down the throat of Sorensen.

Anelka finds space in the box, he turns and shoots first time and forces a fine save out of Sorensen.

Faye did not seem to have picked up a knock and so the decision to take him off may be down to his rash challenging in the early stages of this game.

Kalou bursts into the box and Shawcross commits himself to the challenge. The striker goes down and appeals for a penalty but the referee waves play on.

Anelka plays through Malouda inside the box and he tries to put the ball across the face of goal but Faye concedes a corner.

Lampard curls an inviting free-kick into the box and Kalou gets on the end of it but knocks the ball over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box. A shocking miss from the Chelsea forward.

Delap and Etherington have had to be on defensive duties for most of this game and stats show that Chelsea have had 90% of possession.

There is a confidence about Chelsea now and Stoke cannot seem to get the ball out of their half. Ballack takes a shot on the half-volley but it is blocked by a Stoke player inside the box.

The Stoke defence opens up and Ballack hits a low shot from the edge of the box but it lacks power and leaves Sorensen with a comfortable save.

Ballack lays the ball off for Malouda who strikes a shot from 25-yards but a Stoke player throws himself in front of the ball.

Chelsea have not looked convincing from set-pieces so far today but get away with a Stoke corner this time as the referee awards them a free-kick.

Amady Faye brings down Malouda on the edge of the box in a dangerous position. Ballack takes the free-kick and tries to curl the ball into the bottom corner but Thomas Sorensen makes a decent save.

Chelsea play some good football on the edge of the Stoke box before Bosingwa tries to pick out Michael Ballack with a cross but is just too high for the German midfielder.

Frank Lampard slides a pass through to Florent Malouda who tries to round the keeper but takes the ball too wide and the opportunity comes to an end.

Nicholas Anelka hits an ambitious effort from 30-yards and drags it well wide of the target. Stoke will be happy to have the home side shooting from that kind of distance.

Rory Delap arrows a long throw into the danger area and it comes off a Chelsea head before whistling past the far post with James Beattie lurking.