spartak moscow 2-0

Independent:

Zhirkov banishes the Luzhniki demons as Chelsea close on last 16
Spartak Moscow 0 Chelsea 2

By Shaun Walker at Luzhniki Stadium

Chelsea brushed aside Spartak Moscow last night, two first-half goals ensuring the Londoners emerged victorious from their most daunting group fixture and perhaps exorcising some of the ghosts of the Luzhniki Stadium – the site of their defeat in the Champions League final two years ago.
The day before the match, Chelsea wheeled out Russian Yuri Zhirkov instead of their captain, John Terry, to sit alongside manager Carlo Ancelotti at their press conference. The message was that the club wanted to focus on Zhirkov's return to Moscow – he spent five years at Spartak's bitter rivals CSKA – and not Terry's return to the scene of his heartbreaking penalty miss.
And so it proved. The Russian scored his first Chelsea goal in spectacular fashion. Exactly halfway through the first half, a long ball hit from the back by John Obi Mikel could only be headed down by Nicolas Pareja in the Spartak defence. As the ball bounced, Zhirkov came charging in and, without breaking his run, hit a spectacular volley from just outside the area that flew past goalkeeper Andriy Dykan. The goal came slightly against the run of play after Spartak enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. Dmitry Kombarov, inexplicably wearing the No 99 shirt, shot over the bar when he should have hit the target, and the tricky Brazilian forward Welliton drew a save from Petr Cech's outstretched boot after a smart swivel on the edge of the six-yard box.
But once Zhirkov had put the Blues in front, they never looked like giving up their lead, even if Cech remained the busier of the two keepers. Nicolas Anelka, who missed a penalty against Manchester United in the Moscow shoot-out two years ago, took a heavy touch when put through on goal, allowing Dykan to smother at his feet; on regaining the ball, he squared to a Spartak player when it would have been easier to pick out the oncoming Michael Essien or Florent Malouda.
Anelka atoned for the wastefulness two minutes before half-time, when he picked up the ball on the edge of the box after a powerful run through midfield from Essien. Again, it looked like he might have taken it too far, but he recovered his composure to turn the last defender and slot a low shot across Dykan into the corner of the goal.
It was an impressive 45 minutes, played as the mercury plummeted towards zero, on the Luzhniki's plastic pitch. A more creative set of fans might perhaps have come up with derogatory chants about Chelsea's Russian owner. But with the two ends of the stadium taking turns to belt out "Come on, Spartak" with the force and discipline of a Leni Riefenstahl film, the atmosphere was intimidating enough – until they were quietened by Zhirkov's volley.
The visitors also made light of the idea that Spartak would have an advantage as they were used to playing on their artificial pitch. Indeed, the only player who slipped in the first half was the Russians' front man, Welliton.
"They didn't have a problem," Ancelotti said of the playing surface after the game. "We didn't know the pitch and I think that after the game we can say that the pitch was very good to play football."
The Muscovites came out for the second half revived, and had three decent chances within the first five minutes, the best of which was a powerful shot from the edge of the area by Aiden McGeady, tipped over the bar by Cech. Later, Ibson produced another rocket from just outside the box, which was again parried bar by the Chelsea keeper; from the resultant corner, Ibson tried the same again, with the same result.
Irish international McGeady, signed from Celtic for £9.5m over the summer, was Spartak's best player, at the heart of every attack, but the Russians couldnot find a breakthrough, and by the 70-minute mark the game had largely fizzled out. Chelsea are now virtually assured of qualification, while Spartak know that if they beat Marseilles at home they should take second spot in the group, even if they lose at Stamford Bridge a fortnight from now.
"I don't think that the players thought about the last defeat here, they were focused on this game," Ancelotti said.
But nevertheless, it will be good for Chelsea to have avoided further pain at the ground where they failed at the last hurdle – on the home soil of own Roman Abramovich, no less – two years ago. Terry himself had a solid game at the heart of Chelsea's defence. With qualification for the knockout stages a virtual formality, Chelsea will be hoping they can finally win the prize Abramovich has craved since he started ploughing his millions into the club at a no less fitting venue – Wembley – next May.


Match facts

Spartak Moscow 4-4-1-1: Dikan; Parshivlyuk, Pareja, Suchy, Makeeva; McGeady, Ibson, Sheshukov, Kombarov; Ari (Ananidze, 85); Welliton. Substitutes not used Pesyakov (gk), Maidana, Stranzl, Sabitov, Ivanov, Kozlov.

Chelsea 4-4-2: Cech; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole (Van Aanholt, 87); Essien, Obi, Zhirkov, Kalou (McEachran, 74); Anelka, Malouda (Kakuta, 82). Substitutes not used: Turnbull (gk), Bruma, Clifford, Mellis.

Booked: Spartak Moscow Suchy; Chelsea Zhirkov
Referee C Carballo (Spain). Att 75,000
Man of the match Cech


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Guardian:

John Terry's minor triumph for Chelsea after tears of Moscow retreat
Champions League Group F
Spartak Moscow 0 Chelsea 2 Zhirkov 24, Anelka 43

Dominic Fifield at Luzhniki Stadium

Memories of Moscow have haunted Chelsea's recent history, though this will have served as an exorcism of sorts. A comfortable victory has maintained the London club's serene progress through Group F. The pursuit of this trophy, denied them so cruelly here in 2008, will surely now be prolonged into the new year and the knockout phase, where sterner tests than this await.
If recollections of the collision with Manchester United two and half years ago had dominated the build-up to this return to Russia, with seven of those involved that night starting, then each of those who had most to regret excelled back in familiar surroundings. Principal among them was John Terry, who had ended the final sobbing uncontrollably after slipping on the sodden turf and scuffing his potentially decisive penalty on to a post, with the visiting captain outstanding in suffocating Spartak's threat. After the tears, this was a minor triumph to savour.
Those around him rose to the occasion as impressively as the temperature plummeted. Nicolas Anelka, who had missed Chelsea's final spot-kick to hand United the European Cup, scored a fine goal and glided menacingly throughout, stretching a Spartak defence that was all too easily befuddled. When the home side did find some urgency, particularly in the opening exchanges of the second period, Petr Cech offered assurance and a flurry of reaction saves to deflate any aspirations the hosts may have had of mustering a recovery.
The Russians wilted for good after he twice denied Ibson from distance, saves that ensured Chelsea departed intact and resolute. Spartak had been keeping apace with Carlo Ancelotti's side at the top of this section, though the Premier League team now have breathing space. A repeat victory in the return fixture on 3 November will be enough to guarantee qualification and perhaps allow those on a youthful bench – Patrick van Aanholt, at 20, was the oldest outfield player among the substitutes – to begin to feature.
This was an occasion for the more experienced in Chelsea's ranks to lead the way. With so many seniors absent through injury and illness – Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, José Bosingwa, Alex, Ramires and Yossi Benayoun – those who were available had to thrive, with their reaction in hostile conditions admirable. The first-half performance provided a lesson in capitalising on possession, Spartak's huff and puff yielding only frustration while the visitors prospered, slicing their way through Russian ranks.
Florent Malouda had twice threatened reward by the time Chelsea established their advantage, Mikel John Obi's punt nodded down unconvincingly by Nicolas Pareja on the edge of the penalty area for Yuri Zhirkov, breaking into space, to dispatch a stunning half-volley over the helpless Andriy Dykan. The Russia international was making his own return to Moscow, where he had made his name as a swashbuckling full-back with CSKA. The home support had jeered his name prior to kick-off, Spartak having been denied the chance to sign him in the summer, with this an unwelcome reminder of his talent. His first Chelsea goal was gloriously taken.
The flurry of chances that ensued reflected the sense of panic that had already gripped the home side. Anelka, liberated by Pareja's air-kick, might have added a second only for Dykan to smother his heavy touch, though relief was short-lived. Michael Essien, whose inclusion on this artificial pitch had been debated at length by the management given his susceptibility to knee problems, powered through central midfield, bulldozing Spartak players from his path before conjuring a wonderfully subtle pass to send Anelka through yet again. This time his composure was maintained, the forward teasing Sergei Parshivlyuk and cutting inside before sliding his shot into the far corner.
The Frenchman has thrived in Drogba's absence so often – this was his fourth Champions League goal in three European appearances this season, all without the Ivorian at his side – with Pareja and Marek Suchy heaving to contain his threat. When the home side attempted to whip up some momentum after the interval, Anelka offered bite on the break with Malouda and Salomon Kalou willing accomplices. The margin of victory might have been extended, though, in the end, it was the visitors' defensive work that truly caught the eye.
Cech, so calm and composed, produced reaction saves with boot and glove to deny Aiden McGeady, Welliton and Ibson. Throughout, he exuded the authority of one who would not be beaten. Terry, meanwhile, was at his rugged best, either diving in to intercept and unsettle Welliton or hacking away when a loose ball ricocheted around his six-yard box. As the occasion became more frenetic, so the centre-half appeared more assured. Memories of the fluffed penalty, and even of injuring a knee in training here ahead of England's Euro 2008 qualifying defeat under Steve McClaren, will have been eased slightly as a result.
This side will be stronger for the experience. The huddle of Chelsea players who approached their travelling support, distant at the top of the stand behind Cech's goal, at the final whistle in celebration, departed with their job supremely well done. This squad has been stripped to its core, but Ancelotti's first team continue to find life in the group stage of the competition something of a breeze.

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Mail:

Spartak Moscow 0 Chelsea 2:

Redemption! Zhirkov, Anelka and Terry bury the Moscow ghosts to maintain perfect record
By Matt Barlow

It was a night for the disposal of demons. Yuri Zhirkov, then Nicolas Anelka and finally John Terry. This time there would be no sob story.
Zhirkov returned to his native Russia to score a spectacular first goal as a Chelsea player and Anelka found the net in the arena where he fluffed the decisive penalty of the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United.
Terry, reduced to tears after also missing from the spot here two years ago, produced a brilliant display in the heart of the back four to defy a second-half fightback from Spartak.
Anelka and Terry embraced at the end before the bare-chested captain disappeared down the tunnel with a thumbs-up to the Russian fans who applauded him warmly.
It was a night when you believe Carlo Ancelotti's team can yet be European champions, simply by sheer force of character.
On an artificial pitch, in sub-zero temperatures, before a large and hostile crowd, in the absence of injured senior players including Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, Chelsea seized control of Group F.
Ancelotti believes their ultimate revenge for Moscow 2008 will come one day in the form of the club's first European Cup win. Tougher tests lie ahead but perhaps it will be at Wembley in May.
'What happened two years ago doesn't matter anymore,' said Anelka. 'This shows we can go to tough places and win, even when we are not at full strength. Even with players missing, we have enough quality to play well and win.'
Despite Ancelotti's concerns about their fragile joints on the Luzhniki pitch, he started with Ashley Cole and Michael Essien, having seen his options limited by an injury to Ramires, picked up at Aston Villa on Saturday and aggravated on the eve of this game.
It meant Zhirkov came into midfield instead of the Brazilian, who flew home, and the manager was left with six outfield substitutes consisting of five teenagers and 20-year-old Patrick van Aanholt.
The artificial surface played reasonably well, although it was clearly sticky underfoot at times and black clouds of rubber burst into the air when players planted their feet with any force.
Early in the game, Terry seemed to jar his knee in the pitch and spent a few minutes flexing his leg gingerly before soldiering on.
Accustomed to the pitch, Spartak enjoyed the better of the opening 20 minutes. Dmitri Kombarov sliced wildly off target when he ought to have tested Petr Cech, but the goalkeeper was alert to deny striker Welliton at his near post.
Slowly the visitors found their rhythm, Essien and Mikel took a stranglehold on midfield and Zhirkov made the breakthrough.
Nicolas Pareja's feeble clearance bounced conveniently towards the Russian, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from CSKA Moscow for £18million last year, and he lashed it back over Andriy Dykan from 25 yards.
Spartak boss Valeri Karpin had tried to sign Zhirkov in the summer, only to be flatly rejected.
'This was an important moment for Yuri,' said Ancelotti. 'Coming back to play in Russia, he scored a fantastic goal and will be very happy. It was a very important goal. It opened up the game and, after that, it was easier for us to win.'
Anelka made it easier still two minutes before the break. The French striker had already been clean through only to be thwarted by Dykan but this time he curled a low shot into the bottom corner.
It was the opposite end of the stadium to his penalty miss in 2008 but he savoured his 50th goal for the club and his fourth in three European games this season in the absence of Drogba, who will be back from his fever to face Wolves on Saturday.
Karpin detected fear among his players when they came in 2-0 down at half-time, but former Celtic wideman Aiden McGeady lifted spirits briefly after the break. First he sped down the right to create a chance for Welliton to crash over, then the Irishman darted inside and unleashed a left-footer which took a deflection, spun above Cech and dropped narrowly over.
Cech unfurled himself twice to save confidently from Ibson and there were chances on the break for Chelsea as Spartak took risks.
Salomon Kalou, playing his first game after a month out injured, looked sluggish at first but was flying by the second half. He slid Anelka clear but Dykan saved again. Then he evaded three tackles on the right and crossed for Essien, who screwed his effort wide.
Ancelotti celebrated his 100th Champions League game as a manager with a win, but more satisfying than that will be the control this gives him in the group.
'We are not in the last 16 yet,' warned the Italian, but it is unfeasible to see the Premier League champions squandering this position. With nine points from three games, he can clinch qualification by beating Spartak again in a fortnight, then rest and rotate players as Chelsea coast through.

MATCH FACTS

Spartak Moscow (4-2-3-1): Dykan 7; Parhivlyuk 6, Pareja 5, Suchy 5, Makeev 6; Sheshukov 7, Ibson 6; McGeady 6, Ari 6 (Ananidze 85min), Kombarov 5; Welliton 6. Subs not used: Pesyakov, Maidana, Stranzl, Sabitov, Ivanov, Kozlov. Booked: Suchy.


Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech 7; Ferreira 6, Ivanovic 7, Terry 8, Cole 6 (Van Aanholt 87); Essien 7, Mikel 7, Zhirkov 6; Kalou 7 (McEachran 74, 5), Malouda 6 (Kakuta 82); Anelka 7. Subs not used: Turnbull, Bruma, Clifford, Mellis. Booked: Zhirkov.

Man of the match: John Terry.
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain).

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Telegraph:


Spartak Moscow 0 Chelsea 2:
By John Ley


Where there were once tears came joy as Chelsea went some way to burying the ghost of their Champions League final heartache, returning to the scene of their penalty crime to produce a professional and dominant performance last night.
Not until John Terry finally lifts the Champions League trophy will Chelsea totally banish the demons they still carry from the shoot out defeat to Manchester United here, in 2008, but much of that disappointment disappeared into the cold Moscow night as Carlo Ancelotti's team dominated to record their third win out of three in Group F and move to within sight of the knockout stages.
For Terry, in particular, the chance to forget his infamous penalty slip will have been gratefully received with an assured performance that showed the captain back at his assertive best, while Nicolas Anelka, who also failed from the spot on that fateful night, secured this important win with Chelsea's second goal.
Terry left this stadium in tears two years ago; this time he departed bare-chested and proud, still wearing his captain's armband and with a thumbs up to the travelling fans, and a smile the width of Red Square.
Anelka, too, left with a happy heart, his goal - his fourth in three Champions League ties - coming in the first half after Yuri Zhirkov, in for the injured Ramires, returned to the city where he used to play for rivals CSKA Moscow, and scored his first goal for Chelsea.
Anelka said: “What happened two years ago doesn't matter any more. It's all in the past now. We can now get to play our game and to play our football, which we did.”
And Ancelotti added: “I don't think the players were thinking about the last defeat in this stadium. They were focused on this game. It was an important moment for Yuri, coming back to play for Chelsea in Russia. He scored a fantastic goal and will be very happy tonight.
“Now we have to stay focused about the next game. We want to arrive in first place. That's our aim. We will have the possibility to do this, but it doesn't mean we have to rest the other players. The Champions League is an important competition every time you play. For all the games.”
Chelsea, whose goals came at the opposite end of the Luzhniki Stadium from where the penalty competition took place, included seven of the players to feature in the final and a team dominant at domestic level are now every bit in charge of their European destiny.
Spartak were the first to threaten when Sergei Pashivlyuk was allowed to run at the visiting defence before he fed the ball invitingly for Dmitri Kombarov, but the man wearing the 99 shirt shot wastefully over. And soon afterwards, from Kombarov's right-sided cross, Brazilian forward Welliton was denied by the boot of Petr Cech.
Chelsea responded eventually, 15 minutes into the game, with a wild shot on the break from Florent Malouda, but there was nothing untamed about the shot that gave the visitors the lead, in the 24th minute.
Zhirkov, already lambasted by the partisan Spartak fans for his previous association with local rivals CSKA, picked up the ball after a poor clearance by Nicolas Pareja before the Russian unleashed a dipping half volley with his left foot from 20 yards.
Zhirkov made an effort not to celebrate elaborately in front of his countrymen but there was no disguising the pleasure he gleaned from his first goal in 36 appearances, not to mention the fact that he is the first Russian to score against a Russian team in the Champions League.
And after squandering more chances, Chelsea's dominance was translated into another goal just before the break when Essien's wonderful run and pass allowed the Frenchman to turn captain Parshivlyuk before finding the bottom right corner with a terrific finish, his 50th goal for Chelsea.
Spartak responded inside the opening minutes of the second half when former Celtic winger Aidan McGeady, anonymous in the first period, saw his shot tipped over by Petr Cech.
The Russians were more offensive in the second half but Cech saved well twice from Ibson as Spartak pressed but with Chelsea in control without over elaborating this was another well manufactured performance and victory. Where Chelsea suffered the ultimate pain came signs that their holy grail is clearly within their sights.


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Star:

CHELSEA PUT MOSCOW MISERY BEHIND THEM
Spartak 0 Chelsea 2

CHELSEA stars led by Nicolas Anelka put their previous ­Moscow misery behind them last night in the Luzhniki Stadium.

The impressive venue was the scene of the Blues’ heart-breaking penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester United in the 2008 ­Champions League Final.
Much has been made of skipper John ­Terry slipping and sending his spot-kick against a post when success would have landed the trophy for the Blues.
But it was Anelka, who came on in stoppage-time, who handed victory to Sir Alex Ferguson’s men when his effort was saved by ­Edwin van der Sar.
That night was a horrible rain-swept affair, but with a plastic pitch rather than a saturated turf one to play on and dry conditions, ­Carlo Ancelotti’s men were sure-footed last night.
None more so than Anelka, who notched up a half-century of goals for the Blues with a wonderful effort in the 43rd minute.
It came after returning Russian Yuri Zhirkov – ­under the no doubt ­delighted eyes of countryman and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich – bagged his first for the club in his 36th appearance.
That opener came in the 24th minute when John Obi Mikel lifted a ball ­hopefully forward in the ­direction of Salomon ­
Kalou. It was cut out by Nicolas Pareja, but his headed clearance fell ­perfectly for the onrushing Zhirkov, who smashed a left-foot half-volley from just outside the box over Andriy Dykan and high into the back of the net.
The announcement of Zhirkov as the goalscorer was greeted with loud boos from Spartak fans, ­sickened at seeing the ex-CSKA Moscow man break his Chelsea drought.
The £18m man, rather wisely, did not overdo the ­celebrations!
Spartak, like Chelsea, started this Group F game with a 100 per cent record and looked threatening early on. In the
10th minute Sergei Pesyakov stormed straight at the Blues ­defence and then pulled a ball across for Dmitri ­ Kombarov, which the ­midfielder sliced over with his left foot.
Four minutes later Kombarov picked out Welliton, whose shot and turn at the near post was kept out by the boot of Petr Cech.
A minute later Chelsea threatened for the first time, with Florent Malouda driving just wide after a powerful run and pass by Kalou opened up the ­Spartak backline.
Anelka shot over from 30 yards when Michael Essien was overlapping in a good position, while at the other end Welliton turned ­Branislav Ivanovic all too easily and Terry had to be spot-on to block the ­Brazilian’s shot.
Anelka had a great chance to make it two in the 38th minute when he pounced on a back pass, but his touch was too heavy and keeper Dykan was able to get a nudge.
Even then the ball bounced back to the Frenchman, but, as he turned and passed, he was unable to pick out either Kalou or Malouda and the ball was cleared.
But then Anelka showed his class with Chelsea’s second goal, which owed so much to a storming charge down the centre by Essien.
Picked out by the Ghana ace’s fine pass, Anelka looked to have reacted too slowly, but he completely fooled marker
Sergei Parshivlyuk with a ­shimmy to go inside and then ­shifted the other way to create enough space to roll a shot past Dykan with his right foot. The match restarted with a real buzz, with Ari shooting just too high and ex-Celtic player Aiden McGeady having a drive tipped over by Cech.
In between, Kalou ­appeared to have put ­Anelka in again, but the striker opted to play an ­unsuccessful return ball rather than shoot.
In the 64th minute Cech was at his agile best to push over two powerful Ibson drives within 30 seconds.
Ancelotti’s men almost claimed a third in the 74th minute, with Kalou getting to the byline, Anelka ­letting his pullback go through his legs and Essien drilling narrowly wide.
The final whistle brought delight for Anelka and ­Terry and the five other players who featured against United in 2008.
Terry left the field that night in tears. After his Russian retribution he walked off bare-chested and proud – and still ­ wearing the captain’s ­armband!
However, Wembley in May will no doubt be even more in the thoughts of Terry, who has confessed he will never rest until he lifts that Champions League trophy.


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Sun:

Spartak 0 Chelsea 2
By ANDREW DILLON


YURI ZHIRKOV stole a rare ray of the limelight from Chelsea's superstars as he became the homecoming king.

The talk was all about skipper John Terry and striker Nicolas Anelka laying ghosts to rest on their return to the arena in which they suffered European Cup final woe two years ago.
They both put in an extra shift at the ground where they slipped up on the rain-sodden turf and missed the penalties which handed the trophy to Manchester United.
But Russian Zhirkov also had a point to prove and set up Chelsea for an important away win. His stunning 23rd minute goal means their pursuit of this elusive trophy is already nailed on to reach the all-important knockout stage.
Zhirkov was jeered throughout by a partisan crowd because he had played for Spartak's fierce city rivals CSKA Moscow.
His £18million transfer fee has also been questioned in 15 months at Stamford Bridge as he drifts in and out of the reckoning.
Yet that changed in an instant last night when the Chelsea quiet man silenced 70,000 of his countrymen with a spectacular left-foot half volley. It was his first goal for Chelsea in 36 games.
While it has still not totally repaid Roman Abramovich's outlay, it settled early nerves as the Blues cruise through Group F.
At the halfway stage they boast an unbeaten record from three straight wins and, with home games to come against Spartak and minnows MSK Zilina, it would take a disaster for Chelsea to fail to reach the last 16.
They can win the group with two games to spare by beating the Russians at home in two weeks.
But last night's win will go only some way to exorcise demons for Terry and Anelka.
The French striker was the first Chelsea player his bare-chested captain embraced at the final whistle as they acknowledged overcoming a mutual psychological obstacle in the fallout from 2008.
Terry left this stadium in tears that night after falling over and missing a penalty in the shootout against United. Anelka too fluffed from the spot.
Wayne Rooney was on the opposing side but, after yesterday's revelations, could soon be team-mates with Terry and Anelka.
Zhirkov's eye-catcher was complemented by a neat Anelka finish for No 2, to show Chelsea have plenty without Rooney.
The first goal was instinctive. Mikel's ball over the top was half-cleared by Spartak and from 25 yards Zhirkov strode forward and let rip with a curved shot past keeper Andriy Dykan into the net. Anelka's goal - his 50th for Chelsea - was the climax to a superb midfield run by Michael Essien. The Ghanaian showed no signs of the knee problems which made him a doubt and, after drawing four Spartak defenders, he slipped the ball to Anelka on the edge of the box.
Anelka then turned right-back Sergei Parshivlyuk to slide the ball into the far corner of the net two minutes before half time.
It made up for an earlier miss when he was clean through against the goalkeeper.
With Terry, Ashley Cole, Anelka and a string of other Chelsea players underlining their authority in this group there is great optimism as another chase for the European Cup gathers momentum. Even with injuries and illness to Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Ramires and worries over Cole and Essien, this was easy.
Terry did not put a foot wrong and, after embracing Anelka, saluted the 1,500 or so Chelsea fans, relieved he had survived the plastic pitch on which he once twisted a knee training with England.
Last night there was no pain, no rain and Chelsea went back on the plane in total control of their Champions League destiny.