The match started with the away team putting pressure on Chelsea F.C. as they were looking to upset them. Amidst the 3rd minute of the UEFA Champions League Group F encounter, a very good shot was executed by Marseille midfielder Lucho Gonzalez towards the side of Petr Cech but his effort was way off-target. Chelsea had began the first-half of their UEFA Champions League match without midfielder Frank Lampard and Ivorian striker Didier Drogba. Florent Malouda had used his pace to send balls into the 18-yard box which was being guarded by goalkeeper Steven Mandanda d in the 6th minute. Chelsea were putting pressure on the away team and looked poised to score a goal within the first-half of the match. It was a brilliant corner kick from danger man Florent Malouda which caused pro soccer star defender John Terry to thump the ball into the back of the net in the 6th minute of the match. Athletic midfielder Florent Malouda dribbled his way into the 18-yard box in the 13th minute and flicked the ball over the bar. The French midfielder could have scored a second goal for the fans at Stamford Bridge if he had kept his shot below the bar. Winger Gael Kakuta sent a fine through ball to Anelka in the 15th minute of the game but his shot was straight towards goalkeeper French keeper Steven Mandanda so he caught the ball perfectly. Impressive Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien crossed the ball into the 18-yard box but it hit Marseille central defender Stephane M’bia’s hand to produce a penalty in the 26th minute of the match. Nicolas Anelka then took the penalty kick and converted it brilliantly in the 27th minute of the game. Chelsea Football Club were leading by 2 goals in the 1st half of the clash. Marseille boss Didier Deschamps’s 4-3-3 formation had not yielded any decent result in the first-half of the match before referee Frank De Bleeckere ended it in London. Nigerian midfielder Obi Mikel almost lost the ball on the edge of his area but some great skills from Florent Malouda caused the danger to be averted before the 1st half was ended. A truly great chip forward sent Anelka clear in the 43rd minute of the game but left fullback Ashley Cole was caught offside so the ball was returned back to the Marseille players. The first-half scoreline was 2-0 in favor of the Blues when the referee ended it.
Lineup
CHELSEA
No. NAME POS
- 1 Petr Cech (G)
- 33 Alex (CD-L)
- 26 John Terry (CD-R)
- 3 Ashley Cole (LB)
- 2 Branislav Ivanovic (RB)
- 12 John Mikel Obi (CM)
- 18 Yuri Zhirkov (LM)
- 5 Michael Essien (RM)
- 15 Florent Malouda (F)
- 39 Nicolas Anelka (LF)
- 44 Gael Kakuta (RF)
MARSEILLE
No. NAME POS
- 30 Steve Mandanda (G)
- 17 Stéphane M’Bia (CD-L)
- 21 Souleymane Diawara (CD-R)
- 19 Gabriel Heinze (LB)
- 12 Charles Kaboré (RB)
- 6 Edouard Cisse (CM)
- 7 Benoit Cheyrou (LM)
- 8 Lucho González (RM)
- 10 Andre-Pierre Gignac (F)
- 9 Brandao (LF)
- 11 Loïc Remy (RF)
CHELSEA SUBSTITUTES
No. NAME POS
- 19 Paulo Ferreira (SUB)
- 22 Ross Turnbull (SUB)
- 23 Daniel Sturridge (SUB)
- 7 Ramires (SUB)
- 38 Patrick Van Aanholt (SUB)
- 43 Jeffrey Bruma (SUB)
- 46 Joshua McEachran (SUB)
MARSEILLE SUBSTITUTES
No. NAME POS
- 3 Taye Taiwo (SUB)
- 18 Fabrice Abriel (SUB)
- 5 Vitorino Hilton (SUB)
- 28 Mathieu Valbuena (SUB)
- 2 César Azpilicueta (SUB)
- 20 Andre Ayew (SUB)
- 16 Elinton Andrade (SUB)
Today’s result from Group F
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