week 3 - match report

Royal Blues slip to 2-0 defeat at Chelsea

Schalke suffered a setback on Matchday 3 of the Champions League, going down 2-0 to Chelsea in front of 40,910 spectators at Stamford Bridge. Florent Malouda (4') and Didier Drogba (47') got the goals for the Londoners.

"We could have come away with more, that's for sure. A point would have been possible", said head coach Mirko Slomka after the final whistle. The Royal Blues suffered a major blow before the game had even started. Kevin Kuranyi, who had collided with Dario Rodriguez during the final training session, was forced to pull out of the warm-up due to bruising around the head of the fibula. He was replaced in the starting line-up by Soren Larsen.

In a further change to the side that played at Hansa Rostock in the Bundesliga on Saturday, Peter Lovenkrands came in for Zlatan Bajramovic as Slomka switched from the 4-4-2 system of recent weeks to a 4-3-3.

And as if the injury situation weren't bad enough, the Royal Blues got off to the worst possible start. A shot by Malouda left Manuel Neuer picking the ball out of the net with just four minutes gone. "Obviously, the early goal thwarted our plans. We wanted to keep a clean sheet for as long as possible. Unfortunately that didn't work", the Schalke boss explained.

The Royal Blues recovered from the early shock and looked to pick up their attacking game via Fabian Ernst and Jermaine Jones and move the ball forward quickly. Yet their passing play often lacked accuracy, the only threat on Petr Cech's goal being two chances for Gerald Asamoah (12') and Carlos Grossmüller (40'). The Uruguay international was also very unlucky to have a goal ruled out in the 28th minute for an alleged offside infringement.

Chelsea controlled the game, however, with Makelele, Essien and Lampard dictating the midfield. But while the Londoners enjoyed more of the possession, they rarely mounted a threat on the Schalke goal.  Chances for Essien (33') and Joe Cole (45') were comfortably defused by Neuer.

The beginning of the second half was a carbon copy of the first. Just two minutes in Didier Drogba made it 2-0 for the home side with a header following a counterthrust via Bridge from what looked suspiciously like offside. The early goal played right into Chelsea's hands. They were now able to sit back and let Schalke come at them while remaining a threat on the break. "The goal was the second body blow. It was very bitter for us. Chelsea grew in composure and didn't allow us as many opportunities to play", said Slomka.

It was a committed performance by the Royal Blues, who showed passion in attempting to stave off the defeat. And they may well have been able to spring a surprise had Larsen's 60th minute header found the net instead of hitting the post.

Slomka introduced a fourth midfielder in Ivan Rakitic for Asamoah in an attempt to increase the pressure on Chelsea in midfield.  But despite a number of opportunities the Royal Blues were unable to turn the game around and eventually slipped to their second defeat in three matches. Rosenborg's win over Valencia in the second game in Group B means the race for second place is still wide open. "With three points we still have every chance of making second place in the group and I hope we can give Chelsea even more of a game when we meet them at home." 

Chelsea FC: Cech - Ferrera, Carvalho, Alex, Bridge - Makelele, Essien (Mikel 70') - Lampard - J. Cole (Shevchenko 89'), Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 84')
Schalke 04: Neuer - Rafinha, Westermann, Bordon, Rodriguez (Bajramovic 81') - Ernst, Jones - Grossmüller (Azaouagh 77') - Asamoah (Rakitic 61'), Larsen, Lovenkrands
Goals: 1-0 Malouda (4'), 2-0 Drogba (47')
Attendance: 40,910
Referee: Peter Fjordfeldt (SWE)
Yellow cards: Jones, Rodriguez