Soccer

Chelsea win as Liverpool are held

Champions League Round-up: Chelsea opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 Group A victory over Werder Bremen, while…

Tue Sept 12 2006 - 01:00

Champions League Round-up: Chelsea opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 Group A victory over Werder Bremen, while Liverpool drew 0-0 away at PSV in Group C.

Michael Essien was the unlikely opening scorer for the Blues while Michael Ballack's second-half penalty - his first goal for the club - wrapped up the points.

Essien charged forward from the right of Chelsea's midfield on 24 minutes to break the deadlock.
Good pressure from Frank Lampard forced Petri Pasanen to stumble in possession on the edge of his own box. Pasanen tried to clear as he fell but only succeeded in nudging the ball into Essien's path and the powerful midfielder gladly fired low past goalkeeper Andreas Reinke.

Miroslav Klose then collected a loose ball on the left wing and cut inside Ricardo Carvalho beforeing unleashing a fierce drive which Khalid Boulahrouz headed away for a corner.

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Klose wasted two more chances before hitting the crossbar with a looping header, but it was the Blues who doubled their lead from the spot.

Drogba was bundled over in the area by Clemens Fritz and Ballack made mo mistake by smashing his shot into the top corner Lampard almost made it 3-0, but his shot cannoned off the inside of the post.

Steven Gerrard, arriving as a second half substitute, almost scored the winner for Liverpool with a stunning hooked volley that smacked into a post.

But the Reds had to settle for a point and their first clean sheet of an increasingly disjointed season. And they will be happy with that.

They were the better side in the first half with Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy an impressive front pairing, but PSV hit back after the break with some high tempo football and the match could have gone either way.

Tonight's Results

Champions League - Group A
Barcelona 5-0 Levski Sofia
Chelsea 2-0 Werder Bremen

Champions League - Group B
Bayern Munich 4-0 Spartak Moscow
Sporting Lisbon 1-0 Inter Milan

Champions League - Group C
Galatasaray 0-0 Bordeaux
PSV 0-0 Liverpool

Champions League - Group D
Olympiakos 2-4 Valencia
Roma 4-0 Shakhtar Donetsk