Rosenborg 0-4 Chelsea
Chelsea FC confirmed their place in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League as Group B winners after a convincing victory at Rosenborg BK.
Drogba double
Rosenborg's 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Matchday 1 had prompted José Mourinho's departure from the London club, and Didier Drogba ensured they exacted revenge with a pair of early goals in a clinical first-half display. Alex scored the third on 40 minutes from a long-range free-kick as Chelsea booked their ticket to the last 16 with a game to spare. Rosenborg remain second in the section on seven points and will join Chelsea in the next stage if they avoid defeat against FC Schalke 04 in their final match on 11 December.
Early strike
The home side came into the contest just a point behind the leaders following surprise home and away victories over Valencia CF, but they were soon chasing the game in Trondheim. Twice Drogba threatened in the opening exchanges before eventually beating Lars Hirschfeld with eight minutes played. The Rosenborg goalkeeper parried Joe Cole's shot from distance only for the rebound to fall to Drogba who fired powerfully in beyond the stranded German.
Chelsea pressure
Marek Sapara came closest for Trond Henriksen's team when he drew a save from Carlo Cudicini with a long-range strike on 12 minutes. Chelsea, though, were providing the real danger and deservedly added a second on 20 minutes. Shaun Wright-Phillips won the ball in midfield and picked out Michael Essien in the area after skilfully breaking free from his marker. The ball fell for Drogba who drove into the top corner for his fourth goal in as many games in the competition this season.
Alex third
Rosenborg were forced to push forward which gave Avram Grant's side room to exploit on the break. Frank Lampard and Essien were running the midfield and the third goal was not long in coming – Alex scoring with a low free-kick from 30 metres that skimmed in off the boot of Mikael Dorsin.
Threat
Chelsea had lost two of their previous three matches in Norway and were determined to improve on that statistic as they carried on from where they had left off after the interval. Wright-Phillips hit the crossbar soon after the restart after connecting with Drogba's delivery from the right then Essien was unfortunate to see his effort cleared off the line by Bjørn Tore Kvarme on 57 minutes, as the visitors continued to menace on the break.
Cole goal
Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini turned away Sapara's free-kick as Chelsea withstood a spell of Rosenborg pressure before registering the fourth on 73 minutes. Essien's powerful shot was kept out Hirschfeld but dropped straight into the path of Joe Cole who tucked away the rebound to round off the scoring.
Valencia 0-0 Schalke
FC Schalke 04 comfortably earned a point at the Mestalla to leave themselves needing to beat Rosenborg BK at home in the final group fixture to qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds. For Valencia CF a frustrating night that saw them play almost an hour with ten men means they can go no further in the competition.
Villa chance
It never looked like going Valencia's way from their tentative start to the game and especially from the 32nd minute when they lost captain David Albelda, making his 75th appearance in the competition, to a red card. Ronald Koeman's side showed little fluency and struggled to create chances although David Villa nearly won it in added time but slid a decent chance wide.
High stakes
The stakes were high and there was an urgency about Valencia's game. They knew it was a case of three points or they were out. Yet there was a real nervousness about some of their play, Joaquín proving a frustration to his team-mates as time and again he opted to hold on to the ball for too long. By contrast, Schalke looked comfortable and threatened first when Ivan Rakitić got away down the right, and fended off Iván Helguera. His cross seemed to be heading Kevin Kuranyi's way but Luis Miguel got in with a fine challenge. Shortly after Carlos Marchena was the defender to the rescue when Kuranyi had escaped Helguera's attentions.
Albelda dismissed
Edu was trying hard to get the home attack moving and a spark of hope arrived when Vicente Rodríguez sent in a cross for Joaquín. But a huge blow to Valencia's hopes arrived in the 32nd minute. Schalke were breaking with stealth and speed and when Rafinha surged down the right Albelda knew he had to get a challenge in. He was late and the referee had no hesitation in showing him the red card. Before that Marcelo Bordon had headed wide from a corner and Fabian Ernst had sent a volley straight at Santiago Cañizares.
Changes
Before the break Koeman replaced Fernando Morientes with Manuel Fernandes, and sent on Raúl Albiol for Marco Caneira. Just seconds before the half-time whistle Valencia should have scored following a free-kick but Marchena hesitated fatally and enabled Manuel Neuer to parry.
Marchena presence
The German side were back carving out chances at the start of the second half, however. Rakitić fired wide while Marchena's timing needed to be perfect once more as he arrived to crowd out Halil Altıntop just as he had rounded Cañizares with the goal at his mercy. The ten men were being roared to greater efforts by a passionate home crowd. Their passing was not quite as lucid, though and they struggled to get a sight of goal. Vicente shot along the ground but it did not demand anything special from Neuer. Back came Schalke and Kuranyi was found by Mesut Özil but could not direct his shot away from the goalkeeper, while Villa missed a late chance at the other end as Valencia hopes were extinguished.
No comments:
Post a Comment