Chelsea 4-1 Spartak Moscow – Newspaper Match Reports, Goal Videos, Carlo’s Reaction
Matt The Blue |
Last updated Thursday, 4 November 2010 at 6:55 pm
Newspaper reports
The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: “Chelsea were quietly formidable in securing their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. This display was awash with know-how and calmness. These are people with perspective who can record a victory without tapping supplies of energies that are hoarded for other competitions.”
Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: “Carlo Ancelotti’s side were unconvincing before the break but turned on the style in the second half. Anelka’s finish was terrific, the ball threaded through the eye of a very small needle, while Drogba’s penalty brooked no argument. Ivanovic’s goals were a welcome bonus, a typically powerful header and then a neat shot.”
The Independent, Mark Fleming: “Ancelotti has barely put a foot wrong in his 17 months in charge at the Bridge, the one glitch being Chelsea’s elimination to Internazionale in the first stage of the Champions League knock-out stages in March, when Chelsea lost both legs of the tie and were made to look powerless. In their attempt to make good this year, Chelsea are intent on making as few mistakes as possible in the competition, to control “the details”, as Ancelotti described his intention in the build-up to this match.”
Official Chelsea FC Website: “One point from two remaining games will win the group after goals from Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba and two from Branislav Ivanovic ensured qualification for the knockout stages. The result never looked in doubt although it took until the second half to break the deadlock. Anelka’s fifth goal of this Champions League campaign was well worth waiting for given its quality; Drogba’s was from the penalty spot and was his first goal for a month, and then Ivanovic added his two to give the defender three goals in two games.”
The goals
49′ Anelka 62′ Drogba (pen) 66′ Ivanovic 86′ Bazhenov 90′ Ivanovic
“All the players played a good game, we had more difficulty in the first half but second half played better and Anelka was the key to open the game, he scored a fantastic goal. It was the most important goal this evening.
“We started well, we had good control of the game, good combinations in front but we didn’t score, and at the end of the first half we missed passes and lost our confidence. Obviously we want to start well, play quick, as well as possible for 90 minutes.
“Our aim is to do this, sometimes during the game we are not able always to do the same play.
“The last 15 minutes of the first half, we lost control of the game because we missed a lot of passes. I asked them to come back [after half-time] to play easily, to come back to controlling the game.
“There is a long way again, it’s important to start well and arrive in the first place of this group, but the final decision of the Champions league is in February and March. We have to be ready, now is a good moment and we hope to avoid injury, keep the team fit for February and March.”
UPDATE: See comments by BlueBayou and limetreebower for eye-witness reports.
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