UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Chelsea 0 FC Copenhagen 0:IT WAS understood Chelsea, with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, would not treat this step into the quarter-finals as a grand moment in the Champions League but the insipidness still came as a surprise.
Fernando Torres added to the occasion merely by having a shot saved when he came off the bench.
Despite the seeming irrelevance of the match, Copenhagen began as if all their hopes were intact. Their exertions at Stamford Bridge, however, seemed also to enliven their opponents.
Stale Solbakken’s team came closest to a goal in the first half when Dame N’Doye hit the post with a free-kick after 26 minutes.
There had, all the same, been gusto from Chelsea that was commendable when it looked as if the result of the first leg had made this encounter academic. Didier Drogba, perhaps eager to emphasise his status as a centre forward while Torres sat on the bench, was eager for involvement as he linked with Nicolas Anelka.
Yuri Zhirkov, starting a second consecutive match while Florent Malouda paid the price for a loss of form, might have put Chelsea ahead but missed the target after being set up by Drogba and Ashley Cole.
It was typical of the positive attitude of the visitors on the night that, for instance, Oscar Wendt should pull off a tackle on Anelka when the Frenchman seemed to have gone clear moments from half-time.
The Frenchman differed from his team-mates by being a little sharper but Wiland saved his shot when he went through in the 21st minute.
A shabby result for Chelsea would have been unwelcome just when vigour had been rediscovered in the Premier League. Any quibbles would have been directed at a midfield that had not exercised control over Copenhagen.
Even so, the main fault with Carlo Ancelotti’s line-up was leniency. Mikel hit the bar with a header following an Anelka flick and the trait was almost wilful at times, with Anelka appearing to go through on the right only to double back and invite a challenge in the 50th minute.
Before that Drogba had not been able to convert Jose Bosingwa’s low cross at the far post.
Copenhagen were as determined at the least to leave this stadium feeling proud of themselves. Indeed the desire to score had increased. That wish to attack should, in principle, have offered scope to their opponents but Chelsea’s reaction was largely one of exasperation.
The crowd was tetchy. If Copenhagen’s adventurousness were not galling enough, they had to study a move between Ramires and Lampard linking with no more to follow than an aimless ball from the Englishman that ran off-target.
The introduction of Torres for Anelka at least awakened enthusiasm in an exasperating game.
The outcome did not matter in itself while Copenhagen were failing to score, but it would have been happier for a large crowd and the players if there had been a further demonstration that Chelsea are on the rise.
Even so a berth in the quarter-finals does carry status.
Guardian Service
CHELSEA:Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel (Essien 83), Lampard, Zhirkov (Malouda 75), Anelka (Torres 68), Drogba. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Kalou, McEachran. Booked: Drogba.
FC COPENHAGEN: Wiland, Wendt, Jorgensen, Antonsson, Bengtsson (Zohore 61), Bolanos (Kristensen 89), Claudemir, Kvist, Vingaard (Santin 74), Gronkjaer, Ndoye. Subs not used: Christensen, Bergvold, Hooiveld, Delaney. Booked: Claudemir, Bolanos.
Referee:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway).
