bordeaux founder against chelsea class published: wednesday 17 september 2008, 0.28cet
chelsea fc 4-0 fc girondins de bordeaux
goals from frank lampard, joe cole, florent malouda and nicolas anelka ensured it was a case of normal service resumed for the hosts in london.
by trevor haylett from stamford bridge
luiz felipe scolari enjoyed a charmed introduction to the uefa champions league as chelsea fc overwhelmed fc girondins de bordeaux 4-0 at stamford bridge, the hosts starting with a win for the fifth time in seven campaigns. intensity most of the damage was done in a one-sided first half with frank lampard quickly on the scoresheet to continue his prolific run in the competition, this his fourth in his last five appearances. joe cole headed the second and although bordeaux improved after the restart – as the home side's intensity relented – it was all over as a contest. florent malouda made it three late on, and there was still time for nicolas anelka to make it 4-0, tapping in after juliano beletti's long-range effort had been tipped onto the crossbar.
early zest chelsea have been full of energy and enterprise this season and their confidence was apparent as they zipped the ball along the turf, giving everyone an early touch. bosingwa was playing virtually as a right-winger and it became clear that bordeaux were going to spend a long time in their own half. indeed, with just a single striker and five players strung across midfield their containment policy was self-evident but they were the first to unleash a shot on goal when wendel seized on john mikel obi's loose pass and fired just too high.
right track back came chelsea, with the right-wing link-up between deco and joe cole promising a breakthrough sooner rather than later. the pair were instrumental in bringing bosingwa into the game again and his first-time cross was wonderfully measured for anyone arriving in the penalty area. true to form, lampard had timed his run to perfection and a simple nod of the head took the ball past the outstretched ulrich ramé.
chelsea pressure the visiting goalkeeper did get his hands to a anelka effort while joe cole threatened with an audacious flick. john terry came close with a header and fernando almost put through his own goal – it was developing into a siege, and the second goal finally came on the half-hour. the diminutive joe cole had towering defenders policing him, yet still it was his glancing header that found the net from deco's corner.
bordeaux wasteful lampard should have made it three before the break but dragged his effort beyond the far post, and bordeaux were creating chances of their own. some neat touches continued to carry the visitors into promising positions after the restart as chelsea took backed off, but the visitors failed to make the most of their chances, especially from set-pieces. at the other end lampard, deco and anelka combined to tee up malouda, whose effort was blocked.
late surge such was chelsea's comfort that scolari gave deco a rest on the hour, with michael ballack coming on, but it did not hinder chelsea's attacking ambitions, and with eight minutes remaining mikel made impressive inroads into the bordeaux cover. he laid the ball off to lampard, whose back-heel set up malouda to finish clinically. still the hosts drove forward, ricardo carvalho heading against the bar and anelka clipping the upright before the frenchman made it 4-0 in added time.
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