The TimesFebruary 22, 2007

Terry loss prompts Chelsea to prove their resilience

Porto 1 Chelsea 1
Matt Hughes in Oporto

José Mourinho has spent much of this season praising his players for
surviving in difficult circumstances, but an even greater test of
their fortitude is to come. Chelsea showed all their characteristic
resilience on a stormy night in this harbour city, overcoming the loss
of John Terry, their captain, Arjen Robben, his replacement, and an
early goal to secure a valuable draw courtesy of an equaliser from
Andriy Shevchenko.

For all his misgivings over Mourinho, Roman Abramovich must surely be
impressed by the spirit he has instilled into the players, which for
the first time appears to have infused the owner's favourite player.
In trying circumstances the Ukraine striker produced his best
performance in a Chelsea shirt, working tirelessly, scoring his
eleventh goal of the season and creating several chances that were
spurned by Didier Drogba.

"Shevchenko was brilliant, absolutely brilliant," Mourinho said. "The
goal he scored is a crucial goal for us, but I'm delighted with the
way he's working for the team. It's fantastic. His improvement is
amazing and everyone is delighted with the way he's playing.

"In the circumstances we did well. I'm not saying 100 per cent we will
beat Porto, but we're very confident."

Chelsea will expect to progress at Stamford Bridge, though Terry's
ankle injury could have grievous consequences for the rest of their
campaign, particularly in the Barclays Premiership. The 26-year-old
began training on Tuesday with strapping on his right ankle, calling
into question his selection in the first place.

Although culpable for Raul Meireles's goal, Michael Essien filled in
with aplomb last night, using his pace, strength and seemingly endless
energy to compensate for a lack of positional sense, though the
captain's aerial dominance and leadership skills simply cannot be
replaced.

Frank Lampard shrugged off a stomach bug to play his part last night,
while Robben succumbed in the second half to a familiar muscle
complaint, but it is Terry's loss on only his third start after back
surgery that will prove most damaging.

"It's always difficult to lose a defender so early in the match,
especially when you don't have one on the bench," Mourinho said. "From
that point everything changes. Robben extended them but when he came
off we had to change tactics. It was not a beautiful game but I was
pleased with the result. We've got a lot of problems but are
surviving, we're in every competition and cannot cry."

Chelsea had begun with a familiar-looking 4-4-2, but their comfortable
shape did not survive a frenzied opening. Terry regards playing on
through pain with the same indifference as playing in the rain, so
when he pulled up after clearing the ball in the eighth minute it was
clear he had a serious problem.

With Chelsea's medical team struggling in vain to get their talisman
back on to the pitch they were hit by another blow, as Porto
capitalised on the confusion at the heart of their defence to grab the
lead. After a jinking run down the left in the twelfth minute, Ricardo
Quaresma sent over a cross that was not cleared by Essien and Meireles
took full advantage, sending a stunning volley past Petr Cech.

Robben came on for Terry and was the architect of Chelsea's immediate
equaliser, running down the left to put Shevchenko through on goal in
the sixteenth minute. The former AC Milan striker was bought for
exactly these sort of high-pressure situations and did not disappoint,
neatly shooting across Helton for his 45th Champions League goal.

Shevchenko has insisted all along that his poor form was merely
temporary and his class may prove permanent after all. Robben
continued to provide a useful outlet down the left, but for the rest
of the first half Chelsea struggled as another left winger took
control. Quaresma gave Lassana Diarra, the right back, a torrid time
as he repeatedly reached the byline and it took several saves from
Cech to keep Chelsea on level terms. Quaresma also hit the bar with a
sweetly struck half-volley.

Robben's injury forced further changes, with Mourinho bringing on John
Obi Mikel to give Diarra greater protection and the plan worked to
perfection.

Porto dominated in terms of territory and possession without producing
anything to show for it as the visitors dug in impressively. Chelsea
even created the better chances towards the end as Shevchenko's
improvement continued. His frustrating partnership with Drogba is
finally flowering but for once it was the Ivory Coast striker who let
the side down, hitting the post and heading wide after twice being set
up by his strike partner.

While Chelsea's relieved fans belted out Blue is the Colour on the
final whistle, a more appropriate anthem for this season would be
Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.

FC Porto (4-3-3): Helton — Bosingwa, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fucile (sub: B
Morales, 65min) — L González, P Assunção, R Meireles (sub: M Cech, 55)
— L López, H Postiga (sub: Adriano, 77), R Quaresma. Substitutes not
used: V BaÍa, R Costa, Alan, J Paulo. Booked: Pepe.

Chelsea (4-4-2): P Cech — L Diarra, R Carvalho, J Terry (sub: A
Robben, 13; sub: J O Mikel, 46), W Bridge — M Essien, M Ballack, C
Makelele, F Lampard — D Drogba, A Shevchenko (sub: S Kalou, 88).
Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, Gérémi, P Ferreira, S
Wright-Phillips. Booked: Makelele, Essien, Cech, Ballack.

Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland).

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Telegraph:

Shevchenko saves the day for Chelsea

By John Ley in Porto

Porto (1) 1 Chelsea (1) 1

If Chelsea run out on a balmy spring evening in Athens they will look
back to a wet and windy night in Portugal as the defining moment in
their quest for the Holy Grail that is the Champions League.

It was here that Jose Mourinho's side responded to an early goal and
the loss of John Terry to secure a deserved draw, and it was in the
Estadio Dragao that Andrei Shevchenko gave notice of his return to
form.

The club may have announced losses of £80 million earlier in the week
but Shevchenko's invaluable 16th-minute equaliser could be worth its
weight in gold, particularly if Chelsea book a trip to the final.
Chelsea will benefit not only from the goal but the realisation that
Shevchenko is not a £30 million dud but still a player of world class.

And the professionalism of this performance, controlled when required
and adventurous when necessary, served to suggest that while the
Premiership may be relinquished, the Champions League remains a very
real goal.

Mourinho confirmed that Terry, who left the ground on crutches after
damaging ankle ligaments, will miss the Carling Cup final against
Arsenal on Sunday, but that he was getting used to injuries.

Mourinho said: "When John's back I'm so cool about it because I am
used to it. Every day we lose a player; we are doing a great job with
all the problems.

"This morning Frank Lampard was ill and we thought he wouldn't play
but he felt he had to play. We cannot cry; against Arsenal we will
have to play with Essien, who is unstoppable in midfield, and Carvalho
in defence, we have no choice."

Of Shevchenko's performance, Mourinho was positively glowing, adding:
"Shevchenko was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The goal was crucial
but I was delighted with the way he is working for the team. His
improvement is amazing."

While Shevchenko impressed in attack, the performances in defence of
Ricardo Carvalho - a Champions League winner with Porto - and Michael
Essien, who dropped back to cover for Terry, were instrumental in
securing this comfortable draw.

In the first minute Didier Drogba seemed to be struggling with a
pronounced limp after sending an early attempt at goal. For a while
the Ivory Coast striker appeared in discomfort but he soon recovered.

And with the game less than 10 minutes old the injury problems that
have beset Chelsea's season returned, with Terry taking what appeared
to be an innocent tumble but limping to the sidelines for extensive
treatment. While the Chelsea captain was still undergoing help and
with John Obi Mikel waiting to come on, Porto took the lead.

It was no coincidence that Porto scored in the absence of Terry in
only his third start following back surgery.

The game was only 12 minutes old when Claude Makelele fouled Ricardo
Quaresma. From the free kick, Essien headed clear from Helder
Postiga's cross but the ball fell to Raul Meireles, whose volley took
a slight deflection off Fucile, but enough to deter Petr Cech, the
first goal conceded by Chelsea in 6hr 24min.

The injury altered Mourinho's plans; Mikel stepped back into the
dugout and on came Arjen Robben. The Dutchman was on the pitch just
three minutes when he collected a loose midfield ball and flicked it
to Shevchenko, who finished in the manner which has hoisted the
Ukrainian to the forefront of the world game. At last there was
confirmation of his talents with a superbly executed finish from a
narrow angle and his 58th goal in European competition.

With Robben injured, another change was required but the second half
belonged to Chelsea. As the game increased so Porto became frustrated
and in the closing stages Chelsea went close to securing the win they
deserved. Drogba struck a post, Shevchenko had an attempt blocked and
Michael Ballack and Lampard also went close.

Match details

Porto (4-3-3):Helton; Bosingwa, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Fucile (Bruno
Moraes 65); Lucho Gonzalez, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (M Cech 56);
Quaresma, Helder Postiga (Adriano 77), Lisandro Lopez. Subs: Vitor
Baia (g), Ricardo Costa, Alan, Joao Paulo. Booked: Pepe.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): P Cech; Diarra, Carvalho, Terry (Robben 13, Mikel
ht), Bridge; Makalele; Essien, Ballack, Lampard; Shevchenko (Kalou
88), Drogba. Subs: Cudicini (g), Geremi, Ferreira, Wright-Phillips.
Booked: Makelele, Essien, Cech.
Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland).

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Indy:

Porto 1 Chelsea 1:

Injury for Terry mars good night for Chelsea
By Jason Burt at Estadio do Dragao

Jose Mourinho predicted a draw. Jose Mourinho got a draw. What he
certainly did not want was another injury to John Terry, but the
Chelsea captain left the field inside the first 10 minutes in clear
distress and, at the final whistle, limped away on crutches.

Later his foot was heavily strapped, with suggestions it may even be
in a cast. Of course he will miss Sunday's League Cup final - the real
fear is that he could be out for as much as six weeks of an
injury-plagued season.

This time it was an ankle injury, an aggravation of the ligament
damage suffered the day before the tie, raising questions as to why he
was risked last night.

The fear had been that he had hurt the calf which was damaged as a
complication of his recovery from back surgery. Either way, it is a
major concern for a club back down to one fit central defender, in
Ricardo Carvalho, and for England.

"From that point [the injury] everything changed," Mourinho said. "We
are not in an easy situation. When will John be back? I don't know.
But I'm so cool about it because every day I lose a player. It's
absolutely unbelievable."

Chelsea lost another, Arjen Robben, who had been a decisive
replacement for Terry but failed to emerge for the second-half because
of a far less serious "muscle" injury. Mourinho's team also,
irritatingly, collected four cautions.

That is where the problems end. What is far less of an issue, having
at one time been the biggest problem of all, is the form of Andrei
Shevchenko. The 30-year-old striker scored Chelsea's precious goal,
the 11th and most important of his turbulent career at the club and
probably his best. Mourinho said: "Shev-chenko was brilliant.
Absolutely brilliant. Fantastic. His effort to be a team player is
amazing, his improvement is amazing. Everyone in the team is
delighted."

The goal took Shev-chenko above Eusebio and on to 58 goals in 104
European appearances, second to Gerd Müller, with 62 goals, as the top
scorer in European competition. It was a significant achievement. It
also makes Chelsea clear favourites to progress to the quarter-finals
of the European Cup at the expense of the club with whom Mourinho won
the trophy three years ago.

This was a controlled performance by Mourinho's team, the control
coming from the manager's astuteness, tactical acumen and ability to
think on his feet. He was bold, too. When Terry pulled up with no one
around him and limped to the side of the pitch, Mourinho's instinct
was to bring on John Obi Mikel and shore up the defence. But then
Porto scored. A headed clearance by Claude Makelele from Helder
Postiga's cut-back only reached the edge of the area, where it was met
on the volley by Raul Meireles. His shot deflected off Fucile and
whistled beyond Petr Cech.

Mourinho reacted by throwing on Robben and changing formation.
Immediately the Dutch winger's clever ball inside the Porto defence
was finished, left-foot across the goalkeeper Helton, by Shevchenko. A
touch of class.

Back came Porto. The precocious Ricardo Quaresma jinked towards goal
and was stopped but the ball broke to Lisandro Lopez whose shot was
brilliantly pushed away by Cech. At the other end, Didier Drogba
should have done better than head over when reaching Frank Lampard's
floated free-kick.

Despite some cynical behaviour, Quaresma's influence grew. From an
angle the winger, who is coveted by Mourinho, struck Lopez's pass
wonderfully with the outside of his right foot to drift the ball away
from Cech - only for the ball to come back off the bar. Cech also did
well to hold on to Quaresma's free-kick.

Mourinho had seen enough. It was time to kill off the threat. Mikel
came on and doubled up, with the struggling right-back Lassana Diarra,
on Quaresma. It worked. Porto became frustrated and, after drawing the
sting in a sterile second-half, Chelsea hit back, Drogba hitting a
left-foot shot against the outside of the post.

There was a late scare. Lopez latched on to a through ball ahead of
Cech, but with the goalkeeper caught out the Porto player could not
put a shot on target.

"One-one is clearly a negative result for Porto," said their coach,
Jesualdo Ferreira. But, even if it is hugely overshadowed by Terry's
injury, it was an impressively positive one for a resilient Chelsea.

Porto (4-3-3): Helton; Bosingwa, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fucile (Moraes,
65); Lucho, Assuncao, Meireles (M Cech, 58); Lisandro Lopez, Postiga
(Adriano, 77), Quaresma. Substitutes not used: Vitor Baia (gk),
Ricardo Costa, Alan, Joao Paulo.

Chelsea (4-4-2): P Cech; Diarra, Carvalho, Terry (Robben, 13; Mikel,
h-t), Bridge; Essien, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard; Shevchenko (Kalou,
88), Drogba. Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Geremi, Ferreira,
Wright-Phillips.

Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland).

* Ashley Cole, the Chelsea full-back who has been out of action since
the end of January with knee ligament damage, played 60 minutes of a
1-0 victory against Reading's reserves last night.

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Terry injury takes shine off the night of Shevchenko's most important goal


Matt Scott at Estadio do Dragao
Thursday February 22, 2007
The Guardian


The most important of Andriy Shevchenko's 10 Chelsea goals came last
night, securing a potentially crucial advantage in this tie. But Jose
Mourinho will not remember his return to his alma mater with absolute
fondness.
The departure of John Terry with an ankle injury that will rule him
out of Sunday's Carling Cup final may be one that Chelsea have cause
to rue. Any hope that the centre-back might feature against Arsenal
left with him as he exited the stadium on crutches and in a plaster
cast.

Terry had been involved in a half-challenge on the left touchline and
hobbled out of play. The Chelsea and England captain punched the
ground in frustration as it immediately became clear he could not
continue, having apparently aggravated the ankle injury that had
required strapping when he had trained here last night.
Mourinho and Terry's sense of powerlessness was soon exacerbated as
Chelsea, still with only 10 men on the pitch, fell behind. Fucile
skipped around the visitors' crowded penalty area, evading Lassana
Diarra, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien, who had stepped back into
defence to cover his captain's absence. Though nothing came of the
run, it had caused enough confusion for Makelele's attempt at a
clearance to be too hurried. The Frenchman chipped up the ball to head
clear but it fell straight at the feet of Raul Meireles. His well
struck drive took a heavy ricochet from Fucile's heel, deflecting
beyond Petr Cech's left hand.

It was the first goal Chelsea and Cech had conceded since the
goalkeeper's return from a fractured skull seven games ago but the
Premiership champions were not sorry for themselves. Mourinho
responded by introducing Arjen Robben, who might have felt aggrieved
not to have been selected in the first place after a reasonable
performance against Norwich in the 4-0 FA Cup win on Saturday.

The Dutchman's impact was immediate. His first touch came in
collecting another weakly headed clearance, this time Pepe's; straight
away he drove at Porto. Bosingwa and Pepe were tight to him but failed
to intervene, allowing Robben to feed Shevchenko in the area. The
Ukrainian was unmarked and remained unchallenged as he took two
further steps into the area before sweeping a left-foot shot past
Helton for the equaliser.

But Porto pressed on. Cech's value to Chelsea was underlined when
Lisandro Lopez was fed between Essien and Ricardo Carvalho. The
goalkeeper sped from his line to thwart the shot. Porto were enjoying
all the possession, Chelsea's only other chance having come from
Drogba's wayward header when fed by Frank Lampard's free-kick.

With the pressure building, Chelsea were soon exposed again. It was a
sublime touch with which the excellent Ricardo Quaresma sent Chelsea
hearts into palpitations. The defence seemed well set when Meireles
cut the ball back from the Chelsea 18-yard line to Quaresma. He has
long been a transfer target for Mourinho and his next touch showed
what it is the manager so admires. There appeared to be no danger when
Quaresma lifted the outside of his right boot and stroked the ball
over Cech and against the bar; it was mere inches from being one of
the great Champions League goals.

Half-time brought another Chelsea change, the injured Robben replaced
by Mikel John Obi. Porto brought on Marek Cech for Meireles, allowing
Quaresma to shift inside. The move was testament to the fetters Diarra
had applied to the forward, justifying Mourinho's decision to favour
the Frenchman at right-back over Paulo Ferreira and Geremi.

Quaresma saw little of the ball as Chelsea began to suffocate the game
with their measured use of possession and Porto's often-wasteful use
of theirs. Chelsea were breaking more adroitly than their hosts and
when Michael Ballack hit Shevchenko's pass first time to Drogba, the
Ivorian shot against a post. Porto seemed spent but Chelsea were alert
to any danger. Essien swept up well behind the slower Carvalho and
when Quaresma's two hanging centres fell at the far post, Wayne Bridge
produced timely headers.

When Lopez did get behind Chelsea's defence to pick up a Quaresma
ball, his first touch forced him off balance and his shot was wayward.
It was Chelsea's night, Mourinho able to celebrate it with a paternal
caress of Shevchenko's cheek as he was substituted late on. For a
short while, Terry's pain could be forgotten.

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Mirror:

PORTO 1 CHELSEA 1
Martin Lipton, chief football writer 22/02/2007
THE REAL Andriy Shevchenko stood up and was counted for Chelsea last
night - and even Jose Mourinho can have no more doubts.

Shevchenko had been the unwitting catalyst for the seismic rows
between Mourinho and Roman Abramovich that left Stamford Bridge on the
verge of a total collapse over Christmas and the New Year.

But Mourinho and Sheva kissed and made up, with the Ukrainian's
attitude on the training ground showing that he was ready to knuckle
down.

Advertisement
And last night, just as Chelsea's Champions League hopes were rocking
after the loss of the seemingly jinxed John Terry, it was the
£30million man who came up with the priceless goal that gave the Blues
the vital edge in the tie.

Too often this season, Shevchenko has appeared a pale imitation of the
man who has terrified defences across Europe for a decade.

Raul Meireles fired Porto into a 12th-minute lead, and Chelsea's
problems were then compounded as their skipper was carried off moments
later.

But when Terry's replacement Arjen Robben slipped the ball down the
inside left channel in the 16th minute, it was Shevchenko's chance to
show that he has not lost those natural instincts. There was only one
thought in his mind as he skipped into the box, drew back his left
foot and arrowed a shot across home keeper Helton into the bottom
corner.

It was his 58th European goal - only the legendary Gerd Muller has
scored more - and his 10th of the season for Chelsea. And the way he
celebrated demonstrated how he has emerged from a black hole of
self-doubt.

For Chelsea and their dreams of an unprecedented Quadruple, it was a
way out of the crisis they faced on the field, as they showed courage
under pressure and intelligence to match that of the coach.

Mourinho, jeered every time he came out of his dug-out by the fans who
used to idolise him when he made Porto the most unlikely of European
champions, deserved huge credit for his tactical bravery. When Terry
went down heavily on his right ankle, banging his fists on the ground
in frustration, Mourinho's first instinct, with Michael Essien again
pressed into emergency service at the back, was to send on John Obi
Mikel. That was until Claude Makelele's clearance of a cross by Spurs
flop Helder Postiga only went to Meireles, whose first-time volley
flicked a Chelsea shirt to spin wide of Petr Cech's left hand and into
the net.

One down and Mourinho changed his mind, instead sending on Robben to
signal his team needed to chase the game, a move that paid off with
the Dutch winger setting up Shevchenko. But with Ricardo Quaresma in
particular causing problems, Chelsea had to show real strength of will
to hold on.

They had one escape. Quaresma linked with the raiding Meireles down
the left to strike brilliantly against the bar with the outside of his
right foot, leaving Cech a mere spectator.

Mourinho was equally decisive at the break.

Robben pulled a muscle and was sacrificed with Mikel belatedly making
his appearance in a successful attempt to shackle Quaresma and tighten
up the game.

It is decisions like that which do make Mourinho a Special One, but
all over the pitch his players were working overtime for the cause.

At the back, Ricardo Carvalho and Wayne Bridge were excellent, while
Frank Lampard, despite suffering from a heavy cold, refused to allow
Porto to gain control of the crucial central area.

Maybe Chelsea can expect more of Michael Ballack, who has been as
disappointing as Sheva throughout the season and was again under par
last night, but that would be nit-picking.

Mourinho was famously blamed by Martin O'Neill for infusing his Porto
with a diving culture that has clearly survived the manager's
departure, and the biter was bit as Chelsea were left infuriated by
the home side's antics.

But the longer it went on, the more Chelsea were in control, with
Shevchenko's movement a constant threat and, with Terry, using
crutches, Mourinho could well have seen his team effectively sew the
tie up.

Didier Drogba, freed on the left after good work by Shevchenko, beat
Helton but saw his left-footer thud away off the foot of the post,
before heading weakly at the keeper after being picked out by his
strike partner.

Then Lampard forced a slithering stop from Helton from 25 yards.

By the end, Porto had run out of legs and ambition and Chelsea were
looking stronger and stronger, red-hot favourites to make home
advantage tell at the Bridge in a fortnight.

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Mail:

Sheva soothes the pain

Andriy Shevchenko was signed with the Champions League in mind and
last night he gave Jose Mourinho a reminder of the predatory instincts
that persuaded the club to part with the best part of £31million last
summer.

After aborted attempts against Werder Bremen and Barcelona in the
early stages of the competition, the Chelsea striker flickered into
life when he opened his Champions League account for the club against
Levski Sofia in December. Against Porto, he provided the touch of
class that turned this tie back in Chelsea's favour.

Mourinho's side were living life on the edge when Raul Meireles took
advantage of some indecision in their defence to put Porto in front
after 12 minutes, but Shevchenko scored their equaliser four minutes
later with the sweetest of finishes. It was perfectly timed as Chelsea
had just lost skipper John Terry to injury.

Chelsea lost at this stage of the Champions League last season, but
that was against a team who went on to lift the trophy when they beat
Arsenal in the final.

Although they avoided Barcelona in the draw this time, the prospect of
playing Porto in the second round appealed to may have guided the club
to Champions League glory three years ago, but Jesualdo Ferreira's
side are not expected to repeat the trick in 2007.

Porto might be recognised as one of the weakest teams in the last 16,
but they have nothing to fear against English opposition. They were
eight games unbeaten at the Estadio do Dragao against Premiership
opposition and last night they set about claiming the biggest scalp of
all.

Mourinho is still revered in these parts by the supporters who
worshipped the ground he walked on when he masterminded their 3-0
victory over Monaco, but Porto were determined to secure a famous
success over their European Cupwinning coach.

They survived an early onslaught, but Porto took advantage of the
indecision in Chelsea's defence when Terry was still on the sidelines
receiving treatment.

The Chelsea skipper, who has only just returned to the side after a
lengthy lay-off with a back injury, turned his ankle in the 10th
minute.

That left Mourinho's side without a natural organiser in the side and
when Claude Makelele gave away a clumsy free-kick after fouling
Porto's dangerman Ricardo Quaresma, the home side went in front.

Makelele originally headed Helder Postiga's cross clear, but when the
ball fell to Raul Meireles inside the area, the Porto midfielder
volleyed them in front with the aid of a deflection.

It was the first goal Petr Cech had conceded for Chelsea since
Jermaine Pennant sealed Liverpool's 2- 0 victory at Anfield on January
20 and it put Porto's supporters in party mode.

The injury to Terry forced Mourinho into a tactical rethink and after
originally intending to replace his captain with John Obi Mikel, he
sent for Arjen Robben instead.

Michael Essien, who played centre half during the two months Terry
spent on the sidelines, reverted to the role alongside Ricardo
Carvalho and Robben assumed his favoured position on the left.

It was a substitution with all-out attack in mind and when Essien
released Robben inside the area, Chelsea fashioned an equaliser when
Shevchenko sliced through the Porto defence. The striker collected
Robben's pass inside the area and beat Helton with a fabulous finish
with his left foot.

That goal brought parity, but Porto poured forward whenever they had
the ball. Mourinho had kept faith with the inexperienced Lassana
Diarra at right back, but it was a decision that could easily have
cost Chelsea this tie.

Qaresma, who impressed on the left wing during their 0-0 draw against
Arsenal in the final group game in December, teased and tantalised
throughout.

Diarra couldn't get to grips with him and he danced his way down the
wing whenever he had the ball.

Mourinho had the option of restoring Geremi or Paulo Ferreira to right
back for this potentially tricky first leg and he is unlikely to make
the same mistake at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea simply couldn't contain him and after he cut Diarra to ribbons
towards the end of of the first half, the Porto winger was unfortunate
to see his dipping effort clip Cech's crossbar.

Quaresma is the obvious attacking outlet in this Porto side and he was
singled out for some special treatment when Essien came crashing
through him in the final minute of the first half.

That earned him a caution and although Mourinho's irritating sidekicks
on the sidelines — Baltemar Brito and Rui Faria — raced out to
remonstrate with the fourth official, their complaints were
ill-founded.

Mourinho opted for containment in the second half and he sent for
reinforcements when Mikel finally got on the pitch at the expense of
Robben.

The midfielder gave Diarra added protection from the continued threat
of Quaresma and although Mourinho's side rarely threatened in attack,
it was a thoroughly professional performance.

Shevchenko worked tirelessly up front and although he has a gift for
goals, he also looks the part.

PORTO (4-3-3): Helton; Bosingwa, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fucile (Morales
64min); Gonzalez, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (Cech 55); Lopez,
Postiga (Adriano 77), Quaresma.
Booked: Pepe.
Scorer: Raul Meireles 12.

CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech; Diarra, Terry (Robben 14), Carvalho, Bridge;
Makelele, Essien, Ballack, Lampard; Drogba, Shevchenko (Kalou 88).
Booked: Makelele, Essien, Cech, Ballack.
Scorer: Shevchenko 16.
Man of the match: Andriy Shevchenko.
Referee: Massimo Busassa (Swi).