Chelsea qualify with easy win
Drogba got Chelsea off to a flying start
Wednesday, 28, Nov 2007 10:24
Chelsea qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League following a comfortable 4-0 victory over Rosenborg.
The Blues claimed three goals in the first half as they dominated the home side who had few answers to Chelsea's attacking play.
Didier Drogba scored twice and Brazilian defender Alex grabbed the third for Avram Grant's side, who added a fourth midway through the second half thanks to Joe Cole.
Chelsea went close twice in the first five minutes but Michael Essien and Drogba both saw their efforts go narrowly wide.
But Drogba did not have to wait long, opening the scoring after six minutes. Cole's long-range effort was parried by Lars Hirschfeld and the Ivorian was on hand to tap home the rebound.
Chelsea continued to attack the Rosenborg goal unabated and doubled their lead after 20 minutes. A sweeping move up the right flank began with Shaun Wright Phillips winning a tackle in midfield; he then drove forward and fed Essien.
The Ghanaian did not connect well with his attempted shot but Drogba was the first to pounce on the lose ball and had a simple finish from close in.
Alex's goal just before the interval was a thunderous free-kick. Cole was fouled 35-yards out from goal but that did not deter the defender from unleashing a fearsome drive that Hirschfeld could not stop.
Wright Phillips almost added the fourth after 52 minutes but although he had beaten the goalkeeper his shot crashed off the crossbar.
It was left to Cole to notch the fourth goal. In the 73rd minute Hirschfeld again parried a long-range effort and the midfielder was there to knock the ball home.
The win means Chelsea will finish top of their group and will be one of the seeded teams in the first knockout phase of the competition.