26) Charlton Athletic 0 - 1 Chelsea Fc

Sat, 3rd Feb 2007 Frank Lampard scored another outstanding goal from distance in the 18th minute, but Chelsea failed to make the most of superiority and had to be grateful for two great Petr Cech second-half saves. John Terry retuned to action as a substitute for the last six minutes including stoppage time. Chelsea were slightly the brighter team in the opening period, but the first chance was opportunistic rather than well created. Shevchenko latched on to Hreidarsson's misheader, he had been under pressure from Drogba on Cech's kick, and belted an angled shot at the far post that Carson athletically tipped away. Three minutes later Chelsea did provide a quality move: Lampard's beautifully weighted pass inside Sankofa set Bridge free and his outstanding cross was headed just wide by the diving Ballack. But before the minute was out Chelsea were in the lead, and once again it was opportunism. Shevchenko, running with the ball, lost possession under pressure from Faye, then put pressure on him and Lampard came in and nicked the ball before turning and belting a 25 yarder across Carson that the goalkeeper was late for. It was the midfielder's 17th goal of the season. In two more minutes Chelsea produced another stunning move, Bridge again finding space on the left and digging out another wonderful cross which Shevchenko leapt impressively to but headed over. When Chelsea kept possession on the edge of the area in another minute, Mikel knocked it back to Drogba who surprisingly smacked a 30 yarder which Carson had to dive alertly to hold. Shevchenko chased a Lampard pass next but just didn't have the pace to beat the sprinting Carson who kicked it clear. At the other end Charlton won a couple of corners and took the game to Chelsea with Rommedahl's running, and one such burst brought a free-kick out of Carvalho which El Karkouri smacked low beyond the wall and Cech held with confident hands as he swooped to his right. Chelsea continued to dominate, however, and Diarra, turning up on the left side of the pitch as he tried to regain possession following a cleared Chelsea corner, was booked by referee Halsey for fouling Thomas. Halsey gesticulated that this was the result of more than one foul.

Charlton manager Alan Pardew must have been tearing his grey hairs out when El Karkouri robbed Sehvchenko in the Charlton penalty area, nutmegged him with an impressive turn, and then tried to beat him again and lost the ball. Shevchenko fed Mikel who crossed and Drogba's shot was from too tight an angle and wide. It can't have done Charlton's confidence any good. A good Diarra cross was then punched in the air off Shevchenko's head by Carson and claimed before Lampard could shoot on arrival. But still Chelsea had to be sharp at the back. Bridge showed excellent pace when chasing back one on one with Rommedahl and blocking in the tackle. In stoppage time Lampard was at it again, hammering a 30-yards free-kick just under Carson's bar after Drogba had been fouled, and the goalkeeper had to make another sharp save. Chelsea finished the half with four efforts on target, six off, and should have had more than a one-goal margin to take into the dressing room. For the restart, Charlton introduced Hasselbaink who received a mammoth welcome from the Chelsea fans, and switched to 4-4-2. But Chelsea again penetrated first, yet another Bridge cross which falling Drogba somehow managed to meet with his left foot and hook for goal, forcing a surprised Carson to save. Under two minutes later Bridge delivered another wicked cross which Shevchenko was unable to respond to. The left-back was having a top class game. But with it still being a one-goal lead, Charlton had possibilities, and Bent was an honest hard worker. He and Hasselbaink used strength to win balls off Makelele in tight situations, and Charlton gained in optimism. However, Carvalho and Essien were supreme in central defence once again. More superb Bridge play up the left just past the hour, controlling a difficult high ball and then turning inside Hughes before feeding Lampard outside finished with a cross which Thatcher cleared from the six-yard box. Chelsea's inability to move further ahead nearly backfired harshly half way through the half. Faye ran on to a square pass and through a square defence to drive a fine rising 20yards shot which Cech magnificently turned over the bar. It was a world class save by a goalkeeper who makes the difference. Six minutes later Faye escaped Makelele to break on to a pass forward and Cech chose to hold his ground, making himself big, and somehow turned Faye's hammered shot - which was close to him - wide.

It was enough for Mourinho. He sent on Kalou for the decreasingly involved Shevchenko and Wright-Phillips for the limping Mikel who seemed to have tweaked a hamstring. Immediately Drogba escaped up the left after good work by Lampard, crossed low and Kalou arrived to turn the ball against the base of the post with Carson motionless. It was a good effort. Charlton sent on Lisbie to try and bring pace to the right-wing, but it was Wright-Phillips who went on the next run, bursting past Thatcher and hitting a venomous near post shot which brought another good turn-around from Carson. Wright-Phillips again tested Carson with a shimmy past Thatcher and a cross-shot which the goalkeeper turned away low at full length. Terry replaced Makelele with three minutes remaining and went to five at the back to close out the game. As the final whistle went the Chelsea choir was singing the name of Riccy Carvalho, deserved recognition for his performances in the absence of Terry. Charlton (4-2-1-3) Carson; Sankofa, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Thatcher; Holland (c) (Lisbie 78), Faye; Hughes; Rommedahl (Hasselbaink h-t), M Bent, Thomas (Diawara 88). Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2) Cech; Diarra, Essien, Carvalho, Bridge; Makelele (Terry 87); Mikel (Wright-Phillips 75), Lampard (c); Ballack; Shevchenko (Kalou 75), Drogba. Scorers Lampard (17). Booked Diarra (35).