Champions League/Chelsea 2 Levski Sofia 0: It was Andriy Shevchenko's first goal since November 11th but anyone doubting the worth of the £30.8 million investment should remember his record. The Ukrainian's first Champions League goal as a Chelsea player was his 44th in this tournament and his 57th in Europe overall, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the history of continental club competition.
That he is kept off the apex of the all-time list only by Gerd Muller is testament to what Roman Abramovich's pin money has bought. Abramovich has ensured this Chelsea side is so stocked with superstars, that even the substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips can score a goal of rare class. The winger, who replaced Arjen Robben with 22 minutes left, played a one-two with Ricardo Carvalho before scoring his first European goal for Chelsea.
Having already qualified from Group A, Jose Mourinho could afford the luxury of resting key players Claude Makelele, Ashley Cole and Geremi last night, five days before Chelsea's Premiership match against Arsenal. The absence of John Terry was enforced through suspension.
Robben, making his first start in four matches, seemed keen to impress. After just 80 seconds he skipped past the defence and round the goalkeeper, Bozhidar Mitrev. Holding the ball up for the arrival of Shevchenko, he fed the run with a neat pass but the Ukrainian's shot was parried by the recovering Mitrev.
Twenty-five minutes elapsed before Chelsea's next goal threat and it presaged a flurry of activity that culminated in the home side taking the lead. Robben sparked it with a run and shot from 25 yards that had Mitrev flinging himself to tip wide.
Seconds later Wayne Bridge, celebrating the extension of his contract to 2010, delivered a cross for Didier Drogba, whose left-foot volley flew wide. It was building towards Chelsea's goal, and again Robben was the source of the attack.From his simple, stabbed pass to the stand-in Chelsea captain, Frank Lampard, the ball was played across to Shevchenko. His first touch took him beyond Zhivko Milanov, his next, with the outside of his right boot, planted the ball deftly against the inside netting of Mitrev's goal.
More chances came Shevchenko's way and Chelsea's. The striker almost replicated his goal on 37 minutes as he opened his body to Michael Essien's lay-off but the shot went wide. Then Carvalho's shot was cleared off the line by Richard Eromoigbe and Mitrev thwarted Lampard.
But Levski had chances too. Daniel Borimirov's shot from 25 yards flew just over and Cedric Bardon volleyed over from what was almost a prone position.
The French playmaker then tried his luck with a free-kick that Hilario had to punch clear. Robben's corner then found Michael Ballack unmarked and, with superb technique, the Germany captain's volley flew just over. Impressive though Robben and Shevchenko were, they did not last the match, Wright-Phillips and Salomon Kalou replacing them. Mourinho also withdraw the defensively minded Ferreira for Lassana Diarra. Essien was switched to right-back but even from there he was able to test Mitrev with a firm header that was athletically tipped over.
CHELSEA: Hilario, Ferreira (Diarra 58), Carvalho, Boulahrouz, Bridge, Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Robben (Wright-Phillips 68), Shevchenko (Kalou 68), Drogba. Subs not used: Ashley Cole, Mikel, Geremi, Morais.
LEVSKI SOFIA: Mitrev, Milanov, Tomasic, Topuzakov, Stanislav Angelov, Borimirov, Bardon, Eromoigbe, Nikolay Dimitrov (Baltanov 59), Yovov (Koprivarov 70), Domovchiyski (Georgi Ivanov 75). Subs not used: Mihailov, Hristov, Minev, Ognyanov.
Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg).
