Middlesbrough 0-5 Chelsea

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Middlesbrough 0 - 5 Chelsea F.C.

October 18 2008, Premier League, Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough



Salomon Kalou scored twice and Juliano Belletti rocketed home a thunderous strike as Chelsea crushed a hapless Middlesbrough side.

The Ivorian striker opened the scoring on 13 minutes, lashing home from close range before Belletti put the Blues 2-0 up with a scintillating shot from all of thirty yards that flew into the top corner of Ross Turnbull's goal. Kalou scored his second of the match when his drive deflected off of Wheater's elbow, before Frank Lampard capped off a majestic move with a diving header into the bottom corner. Middlesbrough's day was summed up on 67 minutes as Nicolas Anelka's drive from the edge of the area ricocheted off Turnbull's leg, and via the post, straight into the path of Florent Malouda who had the easiest of finishes from 2 yards out.

It was a terrific result for Luis Felipe Scolari as his Chelsea team, who host AS Roma in the Champions League in midweek before a crunch class with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge at the weekend, and keeps the Blues top of the FA Premier League once more.

With the Blues winning by such a large margin, one could be forgiven for forgetting the fact several key players were missing for the visitors - goalkeeper Petr Cech was forced to withdraw after injuring himself at international level, so Carlo Cudicini stepped in to make his first appearance of the season. Wayne Bridge replaced Ashley Cole, but both Alex and John Terry were fit to begin at centre-half. Juliano Belletti was deployed in midfield along with Lampard and John Mikel Obi, and the injury Joe Cole picked up against Aston Villa meant both Malouda and Kalou were deployed on the wings. With Didier Drogba still injured, Anelka began up front.

Chelsea were on top from the start and gave a good indication of their performance early on, as they dominated the opening exchanges and caused Boro a lot of trouble; creating early openings and keeping the balls for lengthy periods. The first chance of the match fell to Nicolas Anelka, but his header from 10 yards out was off-target, but the Frenchman did well to rise highest to meet a Frank Lampard free-kick.

It did not take long for the deadlock to be broken, as Salomon Kalou netted his third goal of the season. Wayne Bridge's teasing cross into the area found its way to Juliano Belletti, who attempted to squeeze a shot through a host of Boro defenders. The ball bounced off several shins before falling to Kalou, who, six yards out and the goal begging for mercy, comfortably slotted home beyond the goalkeeper to give Chelsea a goal their performance deserved so early on.

They could have doubled their lead not long after, with Kalou again firing on goal on 20 minutes; cutting in from the flank and unleashing a drive that worried Turnbull, before Malouda fired a ball across the face of goal when he was better placed to have an attempt himself. Kalou could not react quickly enough to the cross, and the ease with which Chelsea opened their opponents up went unpunished.

Lampard had a shot from close range blocked by the goalkeeper before Malouda had an effort from the edge of the area on his left foot which was not too far away from the top corner. Middlesbrough had chances towards the close of the first 45 minutes, but Carlo Cudicini was largely untroubled; the Italian forced only to take several crosses out of the air and deny the home side with some plucky acrobatics before the whistle blew for the interval.

Middlesbrough came out with renewed belief early on, as they attempted to close down the Chelsea midfield triumvirate of Belletti, Mikel and the brilliant Lampard. The home side were throwing players into the attack, and thus leaving gaps at the back, gaps which Malouda was keen to exploit. The Frenchman dribbled into the box before firing a shot goalwards to no avail on 49 minutes, but the Blues only had to wait little more than a minute longer to double their advantage.

Enter Juliano Belletti. A man well-known for his long-range shooting. Wigan 0-2 Chelsea; Belletti lashes a thunderbolt home for his first Chelsea goal. Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham; the Brazilian gives Chelsea the lead from 35 yards with a sensational strike, that was subsequently voted Chelsea goal of the season. Middlesbrough 0-2 Chelsea; Belletti belts one right out of the blue, and into the top corner of Ross Turnbull's goal. A fantastic strike; the Brazilian had found himself in acres of space in front of goal, before lashing it home from 28 yards.

The Blues were relentless from thereon in, and 68 seconds later they were 3-0 up. Malouda cut the ball back to Kalou, whose shot on goal was deflected past a hapless goalkeeper by David Wheater's outstretched arm and into the bottom corner. It was no more than the Blues deserved, and a signal of Salomon Kalou's ever-increasing contribution to his team.

Wayne Bridge came off after taking a slight knock, giving Paulo Ferreira a rare outing at left-back. The Blues went 4-0 soon after, with a truly magnificent goal that any of the world's great attacking sides would have been proud of.

Lampard fed Kalou, who made a neat interchange of passes with Nicolas Anelka. Kalou took on his defender before teasing the ball into the area, where Lampard brilliantly headed home for his sixth goal of the season and his third in the Premier League. The speed and ease at which the Blues turned defence into attack was admirable, and the finish from Lampard - a diving header beyond Turnbull - was in clinical fashion.

And Chelsea's rich vein of goalscoring continued on 67 minutes, as Florent Malouda netted from close range. Nicolas Anelka received the ball out wide, took on his marker before unleashing a shot on his right foot. The ball hit the post after it had bounced off Turnbull's leg, allowing Malouda to slid in and coolly finish for his third goal of the season.

Anelka himself could have got on the score sheet but his effort was ruled out for offside moments later. Deco replaced Frank Lampard on 71 minutes to give the midfield marvel some rest ahead of the crunch game with Roma, and Scott Sinclair was also introduced late on for Anelka as Chelsea demonstrated their ability to pass the ball about with relative ease. The full-time whistle was sounded to a roar of approval from the ever-vocal Chelsea supporters, and keeps Chelsea top of the Premier League and boosts their already-impressive goal difference to +16, and also makes the Blues the first side to reach the 20 point tally.
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Middlesbrough: Turnbull, Grounds (John Johnson), Wheater, Riggott, Taylor, Aliadiere, Shawky (Digard), O'Neil, Adam Johnson (Alves), Downing, Mido

Chelsea: Cudicini, Bosingwa, Terry, Alex, Bridge (Ferreira), Belletti, Lampard (Deco), Mikel, Kalou, Anelka (Sinclair), Malouda

Attendance: 29,219

Star Man : Lampard