Chelsea F.C. 1 - 0 AS Roma
October 22 2008, Premier League, Stamford Bridge, West London
John Terry's second half header breached Roma's resolute defence to earn Chelsea three crucial points in the race for progression in the Champions League.
The Blues captain rose highest on 78 minutes to glance home Frank Lampard's near-post corner to give Chelsea a deserved victory. The Blues had dominated throughout but were not showing the same cutting edge they had demonstrated against Middlesbrough at the weekend, and were being frustrated by the Italian rearguard action. Salomon Kalou and Frank Lampard forced good saves out of Brazilian goalkeeper Doni, and the latter also clipped the crossbar with a driven free-kick. However, Terry's first goal at Stamford Bridge since the 3-0 demolition of Manchester City on the opening day of the 2006/07 campaign was enough to earn the Premier League leaders a vital win that sees them top Group A with seven points.
For the game against last season's Serie A runners-up, Luiz Felipe Scolari was able to recall Petr Cech and Ricardo Carvalho. The Czech goalkeeper had missed the trip to the Riverside after injuring himself on international duty, whilst Carvalho returned to the line-up after a month-long lay off. Juliano Belletti was relegated to the bench with the return of Portugal midfielder Deco, whilst Wayne Bridge continued to deputise for the injured Ashley Cole.
The game was a stop-start encounter, with clear-cut chances being few and far-between, but the match was played at a good tempo in the opening exchanges by the home side, who showed their intent early on by forcing a good save out of Doni within nine minutes. Bridge's ball across the box fell to Lampard, who saw his effort blocked by the Roma goalkeeper, who dived to his left to make the save. Lampard again had another effort a few minutes later, but his short on the turn lacked the accuracy to trouble the Roma stopper.
Lampard clipped the top of the bar on 23 minutes after Mikel was hacked down cynically by Mexes outside the area. The England midfielder's drilled free kick beat the wall but dipped just too late; skimming the goal frame and out for a goal kick. At the other end, de Rossi attempted to beat Cech from 30 yards with a long-range effort himself, but the Chelsea custodian watched as the ball flew well wide of the upright.
Roma were defending valiantly and were limiting Chelsea to long-range efforts. On the few occasions the Blues broke through, they found themselves marked effectively by the Italian side, and the home fans were becoming to become aggravated by their side's failure to break down the opposition. Their frustration was underlined on 28 minutes when Kalou, fed into the box brilliantly, wasted a good opportunity as he shot skipped harmlessly into Doni's grasp. Lampard drilled wide from range after some brilliant trickery by midfield partner Deco, but Chelsea were failing to open up clear cut chances.
Sensing that his striker, Anelka, was becoming isolated, Scolari took off the ineffective Malouda, who had found himself marked out of the game by the Roma full-backs Cicinho and Riise. Juliano Belletti; scorer of that goal against Middlesbrough replaced him, slotting into a midfield role as Deco pushed forward into a floating position between the midfield and the attacking pair of Kalou and Anelka.
It was Kalou who had the best chance before the hour-mark, heading Lampard's free kick goalwards. However, Doni reacted quickly and blocked the Ivorian's effort with a combination of glove and knee, and the ball was cleared away to safety. Chelsea were becoming more and more frustrated by their own inability to break down the Roma side, whose defensive ploys demonstrated that they were happy with a 0-0 scoreline.
The Italians began to sit back and defend - a dangerous tactic against a free-scoring Chelsea side, even one bereft of Didier Drogba and the lethality they had displayed in previous encounters against Middlesbrough and Aston Villa. Deco launched a shot wide on 67 minutes, and Chelsea were beginning to become more confident. Pushing the Roma rearguard further and further back allowed Bridge and Bosingwa to push on and assist the likes of Lampard and Kalou, and the combined pressure paid off with ten minutes to go as Chelsea took the lead.
Lampard's corner kick was met brilliantly by none other than John Terry. Scorer of important Champions League goals time and time again at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea captain's movement in the box was irresistible and his near-post run allowed him to glance home in textbook fashion. It was a breakthrough the Blues deserved for the renewed attacking impetus, and would prove to be the match-winning-goal as the Blues played out the final minutes comfortably.
Lampard had a free-kick tipped over and Bosingwa and di Santo found themselves in decent attacking positions late on but could not make anything of their progress up the flank, but Chelsea hung on to win the match and earn three points that makes qualification into the knockout rounds almost certain despite return fixtures against Roma, Bordeaux and Cluj still to come.
With Liverpool at the weekend and a potentially tricky test away at Hull in a week's time, the Blues had entered a key stage of the season in fine form and their performance tonight showed their capability to win matches despite not being at their best.
___________________________________________________________________ Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge, Mikel, Kalou, Deco, Lampard, Malouda, Anelka
Subs: Belletti, Ferreira, di Santo AS Roma: Doni, Cicinho, Mexes, Panucci, Riise, de Rossi, Aquilani, Brighi, Taddei, Totti, Vucinic
Subs: Menez, Perrotta, Tonetti Attendance: 41,002 Star Man : Terry
