Chelsea 2 Stoke City 0

Last updated : 28 August 2010 By Paul Lagan

Chelsea failed to score six goals for the first time in the league this season but strikes from Florent Malouda and a penalty from Didier Drogba were enough to earn all three points at Stamford Bridge at the expense Stoke Cit.y.

On four minutes, Ashley Cole received a defence-splitting ball from Mikel and he raced into the area, but sliced his effort across Sorensen and wide of the goal.

Stoke retaliated on eight minutes when a wonderful one-two between Whitehead and Jones saw Whitehead unleash a 20-yard strike on goal which forced Cech into a low, diving save.

But on 10 minutes Chelsea got a penalty when Shawcross upended Malouda in the penalty area.

Lampard looked tentative on his run-up and Sorensen dived expertly to his left and smothered the midfielder’s weak effort.

That was Lampard’s third penalty miss in a row for club and country.

Incredibly Didier Drogba attempted a 35-yard free kick which almost came off – Sorensen was reduced to punching out the vicious right-footer on 14 minutes.

Essien got in on the act on 20 minutes but his excellent header from Malouda’s corner But on 32 minutes Chelsea opened the scoring - a wonderful pass by John Terry after he won the ball off Kenwyne Jones sliced open the Stoke rearguard and in-running Malouda tucked home a fine right-footer past Sorensen.

Ashley Cole almost scored a spectacular volleyed left footer two minutes later but his effort after a fine pass by Drogba rattled off the crossbar to safety.

Five minutes into the second half and sleepy Stoke almost paid the price for ball watching as Malouda fed, Anelka on the left. The Frenchman produced a pin-point cross to Drogba, but the Ivory Coast hit man headed straight to Sorensen when either side would have produced the second goal.

Stoke responded well to this and were unlucky to see Drogba clear Etherington’s drive from off the line on 52 minutes.

A wonder strike by GlennWhelan on 66 minutes rattled the Chelsea crossbar with Cech beaten.

Fortunately for the home side the ball ricocheted back into play and was cleared.

Lampard, who had a poor game by his standards, was replaced on 72 minutes by Salomon Kalou.

Chelsea got a penalty on 77 minutes when Drogba fed Anelka who raced clear.

The Frenchman was unceremoniously hacked down by Sorensen.

Drogba smashed home the resultant spot kick.

Daniel Sturridge replaced Anelka on 81 Minutes while Ramires, an £18.2m summer signing from Benfica made his Chelsea bow at the expense of Essien with six minutes remaining.

Sturridge could have had a hat trick in the final minutes but the Blues ran out deserved winners in a somewhat laboured display.

 Teams:

Chelsea: Cech, Cole, Essien, Lampard, Drogba, Mikel, Malouda, Ferreira, Terry, Alex, Anelka, Subs; Turnbull, Ramires, Benayoun, Zhirkov, Kalou, Sturridge, Van Aanholt.

 

Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Collins, Jones, Shawcross, Whitehead, Walters, Delap, Faye, Etherington, Wilkinson.

Subs: Begovic, Higginbotham, Whelan, Fuller, Pugh, Tuncay, Tongue