Champions League - MSK Zilina vs. Chelsea | The Score

Champions League - MSK Zilina vs. Chelsea

2:30 PM ET

Tune in Wednesday at 2:30 PM ET as MSK Zilina takes on Chelsea. Jack Goodson from The Offside's Chelsea blog will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.

by Scott Carefoot 9/15/2010 3:08:31 PM
Preamble: Welcome to The Score's inaugural coverage of the UEFA Champions League. Our very first match will be Chelsea traveling to Slovakia for their Group F opener against MŠK Žilina.

This is where it all started for Roman Abramovich, back in 2003 in a CL qualifier. Chelsea won that tie 5-0 on aggregate. The Blues will be hoping for a similar outcome this evening. Zilina, meanwhile, will be eyeing one of the shocks in the history of the competition.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:42:59 PM
Teams
MSK Zilina
Dubravka, Guldan, Piacek, Pecalka, Mraz, Jez, Babatounde, Rilke, Ceesay, Vladavic, Oravec. Subs: Krnac, Angelovic, Leitner, Majtan, Poliacek, Sourek, Vittor.
Chelsea
Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Zhirkov, Essien, Mikel, Benayoun, Sturridge, Anelka, Malouda. Subs: Turnbull, Ramires, Ferreira, Kalou, Van Aanholt, Kakuta, McEachran.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:43:28 PM
Almost time, folks: We are minutes away from kickoff.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:45:03 PM
1min: And we're off in Zilina! Chelsea get us started from right to left.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:45:26 PM
1min: Ferreira struggles early against Rilke, nearly handing the Zilina man an opening on Cech's goal. The ball is eventually swooped behind for a corner kick. Cech punches the ensuing set piece away.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:46:50 PM
3min: It's been a very good start for the hosts. Plenty of energy.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:48:05 PM
4min: Anelka does well to hold up the ball following a tricky close-range pass from Benayoun. However, the visitors eventually give the ball away at midfield. Ceesay marauds forward from the dispossession, but opts to strike from distance. It's high and wide.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:49:17 PM
We are West London and we are the best, we are West London so **** all the rest!

by "Tony Lopez " via email edited by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:49:23 PM
5min: Benayoun delivers a fairly comfortable cross from the right for the goalkeeper Dubravka to claim.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:50:04 PM
6min: Credit to Zilina for an aggressive start. Certainly not sitting back, and hoping to squeeze the life out of the match.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:51:26 PM
8min: Benayoun finds some space in the middle of the park, and feeds Sturridge on the right of the box. He loses his footing, regains it, then skins the defender heading toward the byline. His low cross across the face of goal is half-cleared.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:52:50 PM
8min: Chelsea have their first corner of the night following Rilke's header behind.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:53:16 PM
9min: Benayoun's delivery is to the near post where Terry attempts to flick it on. The ball ricochets back to Benayoun, whose cross this time is claimed confidently by the goalkeeper.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:54:01 PM
10min: That was a fantastic run from Malouda. The Frenchman found himself in acres of space down the right side of the area, but the pass took him away from goal. He had to check, and look for a teammate. When Essien did arrive, the chance was gone.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:55:09 PM
Leeds leeds Leeds

by "Andy" via email 9/15/2010 6:55:10 PM
Why is drogba not playing? That's a huge hit to my fantasy team

by soloriom via email 9/15/2010 6:57:11 PM
12min: Zhirkov finds himself in a forward position, more to his liking, and is dragged back by Rilke when the ball was well past him. That's a poor free kick to give away, on the left just outside the box. Malouda plays it short to Terry who in turns lays off the ball for Sturridge to power well over the crossbar.

@soloriom: Drogba is suspended.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:57:16 PM
GOAL, 13min - Zilina 0-1 Chelsea: Essien gets his third goal in two matches. Anelka is the provider, making a nice disguised run down the right of the box. He pulls the ball back across the six. Malouda dummies it for Essien, who powers it past the helpless Dubravka from point-blank range. A very nice worked goal from the visitors that one.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 6:58:34 PM
15min: Terry gives away a dangerous free kick - a needless one at that. Zilina line this one up about 25 yards out, just right of center.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:00:15 PM
16min: It's not a bad effort, either! Jez curls one low, which Cech kind of bumbles but still saves.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:00:48 PM
Comooon essiaaaaan :D

by m_llll via email 9/15/2010 7:00:55 PM
Ferreira is playing at right back, I am assuming. is JT, Alex or Bane not playing?

by Nicholino 9/15/2010 7:00:56 PM
17min: @Nicholino - JT and Alex are in the center, flanked by Ivanovic and Yuri.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:01:25 PM
17min: Chelsea, following that goal, are attempting to take a little sting out of the match. The Blues pass it around at the back fairly jovially. That is until the ball is given away ...

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:02:22 PM
18min: Zilina come forward with purpose. The ball eventually makes its way to Ceesay on the left, but, instead of looking for numerous teammates in better positions, he lashes a shot wide of the near post. Poor decision.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:03:12 PM
20min: This is an excellent spell of passing and movement from Chelsea. As soon as I say that, they give away the ball after a 20-something pass move.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:05:33 PM
22min: Ceesay is free in the box, somehow, and dinks a ball in toward Bello. Bello makes decent contact, but the header is comfortable for Cech. Zilina is certainly not caving here.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:07:38 PM
23min: It's all too slack from Chelsea at the moment. The Bello chance came about from simply a lack of focus and positioning. Perhaps the opener has the visitors in cruise control.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:08:29 PM
34min: Sorry, guys. Had some technical difficulties that prevented me from posting. Updates coming...

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:20:01 PM
34min: It's now 3-0 to Chelsea, both goals from Anelka. The Blues have been dominant since we last spoke.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:20:26 PM
34min: The first from Anelka was simple. The second, even simpler. Some supbar goalkeeping allowed Anelka to give Chelsea a 2-0 lead with a decently hit far-post strike. The Blues' third came after John Terry struck the crossbar via a header. Anelka mopped up inside the six with a tap-in.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:21:43 PM
Come on you blues!

by "Ben Oren " via email 9/15/2010 7:21:50 PM
Let's go Chelsea!

by rapcel3 via email 9/15/2010 7:21:51 PM
37min: Zilina has, since the third goal, not quite capitulated but lost most of the confidence that had summoned during the opening 15 minutes.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:22:23 PM
38min: Malouda is denied Chelsea fourth's by a wonderful block, I believe by Pecalka! The Frenchman was all alone, inside 10 yards before the massive block came from nowhere.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:23:17 PM
40min: The match is almost at the pace of a nice stroll in the park. That is until a slack pass sent Zilina on their way. Nothing doing, however, in the form of chances for the Slovakians.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:25:35 PM
42min: To describe just how rampant Chelsea have been during this first half, England's Brave John Terry was acting as a makeshift winger about 10 minutes ago. And nearly got himself an assist.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:27:41 PM
43min: Meanwhile, Zilina produce their best spell of the match! Vladavic forces Cech to go full stretch for the save. The Czech keeper palms out to the right, where the ball is scooped back into the box and headed just wide of the far post by Ceesay, I assume.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:28:45 PM
3 points in the bank for the blues. i still think that the champions league is a joke though, i'd rather us lose this one and beat blackpool on the weekend.

by zach 9/15/2010 7:28:56 PM
44min: Whew, that had to be close. Essien seemed to have played in Sturridge on the right side - nothing but the goalkeeper ahead of him - but the flag goes up quickly. I need to see a replay of that.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:29:36 PM
46min: Slack play is really the only thing to complain about for the Blues as the first half whistle blows.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:30:40 PM
HALFTIME, Zilina 0-3 Chelsea: That's it for the opening 45 minutes in Zilina. And Chelsea is absolutely cruising. A very professional, lethal display. The hosts, meanwhile, have struggled aside from that opening five or so minutes where they came out with some real aggressiveness. Stay tuned for the second half to see if Chelsea can add to their lead. Or if Zilina can perhaps pull off a miracle.

by Jack Goodson 9/15/2010 7:32:11 PM
Chelsea look set for a great season this year man....

by hazzino.me via email 9/15/2010 7:32:34 PM
Chelsea Champions 4ever!

by haniff_a7x via email 9/15/2010 7:32:38 PM

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