Telegraph:

Ballack to the rescue after Porto pounce
By John Ley at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea (0) 2 Porto (1) 1
Agg: 3-2

Jose Mourinho had called for respect and credit ahead of this
pulsating tie; instead he got a visit from Lady Luck as Michael
Ballack sent Chelsea into the last eight of the Champions League in
dramatic fashion last night.


Pointing the way: Michael Ballack seals the win for Chelsea
Ballack, a bit-part player in Chelsea's season since arriving with a
reputation and a huge weekly wage, had suffered along with his
team-mates for much of the night but was able to provide a crucial
finish just as it seemed extra time would be required.

Just 11 minutes remained when Ballack half-volleyed beyond Helton,
Porto's hapless Brazilian goalkeeper, whose error had paved Chelsea's
way back into a game they hardly deserved to win. Having drawn 1-1 in
Portugal, Chelsea started as favourites but an early goal from the
outstanding Ricardo Quaresma left them chasing the game and Mourinho's
future in doubt.

However, in the 48th minute Arjen Robben's tame shot was mishandled by
Helton and the ball found its way into the net. It was a stroke of
fortune, and just as extra time beckoned, Ballack stole the winner.
Ballack was the last to leave the pitch, the captain of Germany
walking off with his chest puffed out in a show of defiance to those
who have questioned his performances since arriving from Bayern
Munich.

Yet, just 45 minutes earlier Mourinho had addressed his troops with a
warning that Chelsea were on the cusp of an exit from the tournament,
and privately he may have been wondering if his relationship with his
owners was coming to an end. He lives to fight on in the
quarter-finals yet this was a stuttering performance when Chelsea were
often second best.

advertisementThe night had began with Stamford Bridge shrouded by
thousands of Chelsea flags, handed out by the club in an attempt to
whip up the kind of atmosphere to unsettle Porto. The early signs were
that it was working when, after 66 seconds, Andrei Shevchenko
dispatched a dangerous right-footed drive that rose narrowly over the
crossbar.

Porto wasted little time in matching Chelsea's valuable away goal. In
the 15th minute, a loose ball fell to Lucho Gonzalez and with a deft
pass he sent a marvellous ball to Quaresma. Blue shirts glanced at the
linesman but this was one flag that stayed down, allowing Quaresma the
chance to slot the ball expertly beyond the flailing legs of Petr
Cech.

For Porto, it was timed to perfection, meaning Chelsea needed two
goals to progress. The visiting fans, who had earlier taunted their
former manager with chants of "Bye-Bye Mourinho", could not believe
their good start. After the orange shirts of Porto had finally
finished their frenzied celebrations, an air of disbelief descended
over Stamford Bridge, albeit briefly, before the Chelsea faithful
attempted to rally their heroes.

But Porto were frustrating Chelsea. Didier Drogba found Pepe in
unforgiving mood while Raul Meireles ran tirelessly in midfield.
Porto, though, could not be accused of sitting on their narrow lead;
when Gonzalez sent a delightful forward pass to Quaresma the warning
bells sounded again, only for Cole to make a telling challenge.

Chelsea made a half-time change with John Obi Mikel replacing Claude
Makelele and, more importantly, teenage defender Lassana Diarra moving
into midfield, a switch which made a huge difference.

Within three minutes of the restart fortune favoured the brave with a
goalkeeping error helping the home side back into the game. Diarra
rolled the ball to Robben and the Dutchman's shot, from outside the
area, bobbled before Helton seemed to juggle with it like a circus
clown out of control before helping it into the net.

Frank Lampard and Ricardo Carvalho both had attempts yet extra time
looked likely until the 79th minute when Shevchenko headed down and
Ballack, otherwise anonymous, turned to half-volley beyond Helton to
claim a most valuable goal.

Stamford Bridge sweated over the final minutes but Chelsea held out
for what could prove to be a pivotal result.

The Special One was, for once, the Lucky One.

Match details

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech; Diarra (Ferreira 65), Carvalho, Essien, A
Cole; Makelele (Mikel ht); Robben, Ballack, Lampard; Shevchenko (Kalou
84), Drogba.
Subs: Hilario(g), Boulahrouz, Bridge, Wright-Phillips.
Booked: Shevchenko, Diarra.
Goals: Robben 48, Ballack 79.
Porto (4-4-2): Helton; Fucile, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Cech (Adriano 56);
Meireles (Ibson 56), Gonzalez; Ricardo Costa, Paulo Assuncao; Lopez
(Bruno Moraes 82), Quaresma.
Subs: Vitor Baia (g), Alan, Helder Postiga, Joao Paulo.
Booked: Quaresma, Fucile
Goals: Quaresma 15.
Referee: R Rosetti (Italy).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
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The TimesMarch 07, 2007

Ballack hits late winner to justify Mourinho's persistence
Chelsea 2 FC Porto 1 (Chelsea win 3-2 on agg)
Matt Hughes

Michael Ballack has attracted much criticism this season for playing
like a battered old VW Beetle, though preserving his engine may have
proved worthwhile as he finally revealed the timeless quality of a
BMW.

Towards the end of another otherwise anonymous 90 minutes the Germany
midfield player belatedly showed his class, elegantly adjusting his
body position to score with a left-foot volley and put Chelsea into
the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

After arriving on a free transfer from Bayern Munich last year
Ballack's sixth goal of the season could prove priceless. In addition
to prolonging Chelsea's season in Europe, Ballack's 79th-minute winner
will extend José Mourinho's stay of execution at Stamford Bridge,
which had appeared destined to end in bitter acrimony after Ricardo
Quaresma's fifteenth-minute opener.

Having stubbornly stuck with Ballack in the face of all available
evidence, Mourinho will take immense satisfaction from his enhanced
status as a match-winner, though it is ironic that the manager's
salvation was provided by players he did little to recruit. Ashley
Cole's ball from the left was headed into the penalty area by Didier
Drogba, with Andriy Shevchenko heading it back across goal for Ballack
to apply the finish.

Roman Abramovich will also feel vindicated. At a combined cost of
almost £250,000 a week in wages — not to mention the former AC Milan
striker's £30 million transfer fee — Ballack and Shevchenko were
recruited to win the Champions League and their gradual improvement as
the competition has progressed augurs well.

The Ukrainian brought Chelsea level with a well-taken goal in the
first leg in Oporto and Ballack went a step farther by ensuring
victory over the puckish Portuguese. In private moments of despair the
30-year-old has bemoaned the absence of service that enabled him to
plunder 38 goals in his last two seasons in Germany, with last night's
superb strike a timely reminder of his gift in front of goal.

If only Mourinho would abandon his caution and play with wingers more
often, Ballack would no doubt contend, more goals would flow.

After praising Ballack, Mourinho reserved a special pat on the back
for himself. The Portuguese admitted that Chelsea were going out of
the competition at half-time but that he changed the tie with a simple
team-talk, moving Lassana Diarra into midfield, introducing John Obi
Mikel and challenging his players to rise to the pressure. "If you're
scared then we say goodbye," he told them.

Quaresma's goal sent shudders around Stamford Bridge, as the damaging
effect of John Terry's absence showed itself at the heart of the
defence. Lucho González released Quaresma from the halfway line with a
beautiful ball off the outside of his right foot and watched in
delight as he toe-poked the ball beyond Petr Cech.

Ricardo Carvalho pursued him in vain as his team-mates made equally
forlorn appeals for offside but the Portugal winger was clearly
onside, with his international colleague chiefly culpable.

Terry winced at this elementary error on the sidelines, but the
captain's unquenchable spirit clearly runs through his side as Chelsea
made it clear they would go down fighting. Ballack and Frank Lampard
both snatched at half-chances before the interval, while Arjen Robben
blotted his copy book by diving in the penalty area.

The Holland winger was deservedly booked but he made amends in the
48th minute by scoring the equaliser, as a more determined Chelsea
emerged for the second half. Mourinho had gambled by replacing Claude
Makelele, as in the Carling Cup final, a sign that the France midfield
player's four-year spell at the club is drawing to a close.

Mikel's stature has grown throughout a turbulent season, but it was
another with whom Mourinho has a troubled relationship who brought
them level. Robben's ball to Diarra down the right was returned to him
in a more propitious position on the edge of the area, with his low
left-foot shot somehow finding its way through the body of Helton.

It was an horrendous error from the Brazilian, but Robben celebrated
as if he had scored the goal of the season. In terms of importance he
may not be wrong.

Porto responded with aggressive changes of their own as they sought
the second away goal that would effectively seal the tie. Manuel
Ferreira's introduction of Adriano and a move to 4-3-3 enabled
Quaresma to operate out wide and he took full advantage to resume his
first-leg examination of Diarra.

As in Oporto, the 21-year-old was found wanting, induced into a series
of rash challenges that brought a yellow card and his replacement by
Paulo Ferreira, for fear that it would become red.

Chelsea began to press for a winner of their own, with Helton's
increasingly clownish goalkeeping giving them cause for hope. Drogba
fired over the bar as he worked tirelessly as usual, but it was a more
erratic performer who delivered the knockout blow.

Chelsea's dominance of possession and creation of more chances merited
victory, though the residual feeling after a pulsating cup-tie was
justification for Mourinho's claims that he cannot be fairly judged on
his success in the Champions League. The Portuguese had appeared to be
heading for the swift sacking he has done much to provoke, but the
spirit of his players means they will all live to fight another day.
Abramovich seems to be the only one anxious to force his exit.

Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech — L Diarra (sub: M Ferreira, 65min), M Essien,
R Carvalho, A Cole — M Ballack, C Makelele (sub: J O MIkel, 46), F
Lampard — A Shevchenko (sub: S Kalou, 84), D Drogba, A Robben.
Substitutes not used: Hilário, K Boulahrouz, W Bridge, S
Wright-Phillips Booked: Robben, Diarra

FC Porto (4-4-2): Helton — J Fucile, Pepe, B Alves, R Costa — R
Meireles (sub: Ibson, 56), L González, P Assunção, M Cech (sub:
Adriano, 55) — L López (sub: B Moraes 82), R Quaresma. Substitutes not
used: Vitor Baia, Alan, H Postiga, João Paulo .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
--------------------------------------------
Indy:

Chelsea 2 Porto 1 (Chelsea win 3-2 on agg): Helton errors help Chelsea
sneak through
By Jason Burt

Porto goalkeeper, Helton, beats Drogba to the ball, but made two
crucial errors at Stamford Bridge Jose Mourinho has spent much of this
season bemoaning his lack of luck but no one could deny the outrageous
fortune from which Chelsea benefited last night when a terrible
blunder by Porto goalkeeper Helton helped send them into the
quarter-finals of the European Cup.

Up until that mistake, which afforded Chelsea a desperately needed
equalising goal, Mourinho's side had struggled and looked likely to
exit the competition at the same stage as they did last year. And once
more against one of his former clubs. Then it was Barcelona and this
time it would have been the club he won the trophy with in 2004.

Not that Mourinho saw it that way. He accepted that the Portuguese
champions had been the better side in the first half but, in a
delicious statement that demonstrated, in one stylish swoop, his
confidence, chutzpah and belief, Mourinho also spoke about his
half-time team-talk. He had looked a picture of frustration as he left
the Chelsea bench with three minutes of added time still to play and
his team a goal in deficit. But Mourinho told a different story as he
relayed what he had said to his players.

"At this moment we are out of the competition," he recalled. "What do
we do? We enjoy it or are we scared of it? If we enjoy it let us enjoy
it, play the 45 minutes and be under pressure. I think it is possible
to enjoy this kind of moment to show our quality, our personality."
And, true statement or otherwise, it also demonstrated his charisma.

Before that Chelsea were dominated by Quaresma. The Portuguese winger
Ricardo Quaresma scored a wonderful goal after 15 minutes as Mourinho
was outfoxed tactically by his counterpart Jesualdo Ferreira. That
itself was startling but the visitors started without a central
striker and with Quaresma and Lisandro Lopez coming off the wings,
prompted brilliantly by Lucho Gonzalez.

All three were involved in the goal. Lopez was caught by a late tackle
from the disappointing Claude Makelele, but still slipped a pass
through to Lucho. It was the angle of the Argentine's instant pass,
arced with the outside of his right foot, that then made the
opportunity for Quaresma who sprinted through, with a superbly timed
run, to poke a shot past Petr Cech.

With Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho, the two central defenders,
left without anyone to mark and with Porto playing a diamond in
midfield, Mourinho's players were in danger of being over-run.

Their initial response was curious. There was, indeed, a sense of
growing panic as they snatched at opportunities. "Chelsea were not
calm," Ferreira said. He was right. That was summed up when Arjen
Robben darted into the penalty area. The full-back Fucile waved a
foot, then withdrew it, only for Robben to embarrassingly throw
himself to the turf in search of a penalty. Fortunately referee
Roberto Rosetti only awarded Robben a yellow card.

At the interval Mourinho brought on John Obi Mikel, switched Lassana
Diarra to midfield, played three in defence and suddenly felt his team
had the dynamism they lacked earlier. That was a moot point. It could
easily be argued that, instead, the dynamism only came when Robben
sent in a speculative low shot that, somehow, Helton allowed to squirm
over his body and into the net. It was a horrible goal to concede.

Porto tried to push on, sensing Chelsea's vulnerability but the home
side's confidence grew just as Helton's evaporated. The Brazilian
flapped at a cross, fell over in reaching a back-pass and punched the
ball straight to Frank Lampard whose shot deflected wide.

The momentum continued to grow in Chelsea's favour and, eventually,
they made the decisive breakthrough. Ashley Cole slung in a deep
centre, which was headed by Didier Drogba to Andrei Shevchenko.
Showing admirable presence of mind the Ukrainian headed back across
goal for Michael Ballack to volley in the winner. Previously
anonymous, the German remains an enigma. But Mourinho is convinced
Ballack could prove decisive in the quest to win this trophy.

It meant that Chelsea completed a remarkable turnaround. They had,
indeed, lived with the pressure. Whether they, as their manager asked,
had enjoyed it is another matter. Once again Mourinho pledged his
desire to stay - only a day after he had stated that he did not care
if he was sacked because he would walk away a millionaire.

Such talk is becoming tiresome for the watching Roman Abramovich who
could not have been as impressed by Mourinho's efforts as the manager
was. Surely it's all set up for a finale in May although Chelsea will
have to play better to reach the final.

Chelsea (4-1-2-3): P Cech; Diarra (Ferreira, 65), Essien, Carvalho, A
Cole; Makelele (Mikel, h-t); Ballack, Lampard; Shevchenko (Kalou, 84),
Drogba. Robben. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Boulahrouz,
Bridge, Wright-Phillips.

Porto (4-4-2): Helton; Fucile, Pepe, Alves, M Cech (Adriano, 56);
Lucho, Assuncao, Ricardo Costa, Meireles (Ibson, 56); Lopez (Moraes,
82), Quaresma. Substitutes not used: Baia (gk), Alan, Postiga, Paulo.

Referee: R Rosetti (Italy).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------------------------------
Ballack rescue act as Chelsea ride the shockwaves


Matt Scott at Stamford Bridge
Wednesday March 7, 2007
The Guardian


Jose Mourinho last night escaped the Champions League defeat that
could have hastened his departure as Chelsea's manager. He has Michael
Ballack to thank for their continuing interest in the competition, the
German repaying the depth of faith his manager has placed in him.
After hinting on Monday that he will not be long of west London,
Mourinho is setting about his legacy in this competition. It could yet
be engraved on the European Cup.

Mourinho had spoken of his "prize motivation", how the fact that he
would be in the Champions League's quarter-final and the FA Cup
semi-finals "in five days" was driving him. Of course, it did not
occur to the Chelsea manager that his team might not overcome Porto
and Tottenham between last night and Sunday.
Yet in his near-three-year reign Chelsea have not lost a single match
at home in the league, a record that extends back to his time as
Porto's manager. The story is only slightly different in this
competition, a single Stamford Bridge defeat having been sustained,
and that against last year's European champions, Barcelona, last
season. Indeed, having taken an away goal from the 1-1 draw in the
first-leg trip to Porto, Mourinho's confidence seemed well placed.

Yet it could have proved an inglorious conceit. It has been too glibly
stated John Terry's absence has cost Chelsea this season but last
night it was certainly the case.

Defending higher up the pitch than they are accustomed to do with the
England captain in their midst, Chelsea have become vulnerable to the
long pass and Porto were ever alive to its potential.

With Claude Makelele too often static in the centre of midfield, Porto
were passing it round him, a weakness that was compounded by Michael
Essien's error. The Ghanaian seemed to forget that his role last night
was as a central defender and not as the dynamic midfielder so beloved
of Chelsea's fans.

Already advanced as high as the halfway line, Terry's replacement was
sucked in to challenge Lucho Gonzalez. Essien was scrambling back to
his post but Lucho played his perfectly measured pass through the gap
that yawned between him and Ricardo Carvalho.

The Argentinian midfielder did not squander the opportunity. Ricardo
Quaresma advanced on to his through ball and slipped it under Petr
Cech to electrify this game. Chelsea seemed to be hit nervously with
the shock. Ashley Cole, restored to the line-up despite the strong
recent performances of Wayne Bridge, made an overlapping sprint up the
left wing, searching for a return pass from Frank Lampard. But the
England international played the ball into the hoardings, prompting
Mourinho to rise from his seat and beseech his players to be calm.

Lampard was uncharacteristically hurried every time the ball reached
him. The most costly such occasion was on the half- hour, when Andriy
Shevchenko's centre found him eight yards out but the midfielder was
unable to capitalise. Arjen Robben, who had made several spearing runs
at the Porto defence, similarly lacked composure when, shortly before
half-time, he set himself up on the edge of the area only to shoot
well wide.

And all the while Chelsea's midfielders were giving the ball away too
cheaply. Before this wastefulness, Chelsea had created their best
first-half chance in the first minute. Shevchenko, a willing and
effective runner last night, flicked on a header for Robben to
collect.

The Dutchman - later booked for a shameful dive in the opposition box
- pressured Fucile into giving away possession in the corner. Robben
returned it to Shevchenko, whose bending shot swept marginally,
agonisingly off target.

Mourinho addressed the possession problem by withdrawing Makelele for
Mikel John Obi at the interval and advancing Lassana Diarra into
midfield. The dividends were instant. Diarra pushed into the
outside-right channel, dragging it back for the ubiquitous Robben.

The forward's speculative effort seemed well covered by Da Silva
Helton at his near post, but the goalkeeper somehow allowed the ball
to bobble over him for the equaliser. "I was cool because naturally if
we don't score in the 48th minute we score in the 49th," said
Mourinho. "It was our natural tendency to win the game because our
experience would make sure."

From that moment, each time the ball approached Helton, who had twice
dropped or ducked crosses, he was subjected to a crescendo of mocking
that seemed utterly to unnerve him. On one occasion he slipped as he
went to collect a back pass, on another he punched back to Chelsea a
shot he should have held.

It all added to the growing drama of this fascinating encounter.
Something would have to break, and Shevchenko's rising shot that flew
a foot over the bar came two minutes before it did.

Cole's high diagonal ball found Drogba on the edge of the area. His
header across goal for Shevchenko was returned to Ballack, who
clinched the tie with just 11 minutes remaining with a hooked shot
from close in.

"It's good for him because his goal has put Chelsea in the
quarter-finals," said Mourinho. "Goals like that are like a stamp."

That stamp has gone a long way to sending Chelsea to Athens in May.

'I told my team to enjoy being under pressure'


Matt Scott at Stamford Bridge
Wednesday March 7, 2007
The Guardian


Jose Mourinho is never shy of employing mind games and used the tool
on his own players last night to help Chelsea come from behind to
defeat Porto and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Chelsea were trailing 1-0 at the interval when Mourinho asked his side
to relish the pressure of having to fight back. They did so with goals
from Arjen Robben and Michael Ballack.

"Psychologically I told my team [at half-time] to think a bit that at
that moment we are out of the competition and that we could enjoy it
or be scared of it," Mourinho said. "I said that if we were scared, we
would go out. I said, 'Let's enjoy being under pressure.' This is
possible sometimes, to show quality and personality.

"Our reaction was very positive and when we came out to score in
minute three of the second half it gave extra confidence. We were
very, very strong mentally and we are in the quarter-final of the
Champions League and the FA Cup."
Mourinho is not just thinking about this season's challenges, though.
He spoke before the game about the possibility of being sacked in the
summer but said last night: "It is not the case I want to leave. I
want to continue and make Chelsea one of the best teams in the world
by 2014. Last season we had a very good Champions League. Two seasons
ago we went to the semi-final and we lost without conceding a single
goal. Last season we lost against the European champions [Barcelona].

"This season we are doing very well. We have played in a very
difficult group, without Petr Cech and John [Terry]. We have had to
play against two of the last three European champions. Barcelona are
out, Porto are out, Internazionale are out. It shows how difficult
this competition is. If we win it will not be a miracle - we can do it
- but if we go out it at the quarter-final stage it will also be a
normal picture."

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--------------------------------------------

Mail:

Ballack lifts the Blues
By NEIL ASHTON

Chelsea 2 Porto 1
Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate

The hard work appeared to have been done in Oporto two weeks ago, but
it took a late goal from Michael Ballack to rescue Chelsea and book
his side's place in the quarter-finals.

Ricardo Quaresma's strike put the Portuguese champions on course for a
famous victory, but Arjen Robben's 48th minute equaliser kept alive
Chelsea's Champions League dream before Germany midfielder Ballack
volleyed home the winner in the 79th minute.

Quaresma teased, tormented and tore Lassana Diarra apart for 90 soul
destroying minutes in the first leg and there was no let up.

The Porto winger hit the bar with a wonderful effort from outside the
area two weeks ago, but he hit the sweet spot with the delicious
strike that put them in front.

Ashley Cole had kept him quiet in the opening spell, but Quaresma came
alive when Lucho Gonzalez's through ball split Chelsea's defence in
half. With Michael Essien wrong footed and Ricardo Carvalho losing
ground, Quaresma raced clear and sent his effort beyond the advancing
Petr Cech.

That goal gave Porto the cushion that they craved. Chelsea's equaliser
in Oporto, scored by Andriy Shevchenko, had given Jose Mourinho's side
an away goal, but they knew they were in a game when Quaresma put them
in front.

It had promised to be Chelsea's night when Frank Lampard snapped at
Quaresma's ankles in the opening minutes, but they needed more from
Arjen Robben.

Although the Chelsea winger is not an automatic fit in Mourinho's
profile of a perfect team player, Robben has offered the club the
attacking outlet they have been crying out for in recent weeks.

His cameo appearance in Oporto was enough to inspire a comeback and
the Dutchman was at his impish best during their 2-0 victory over
Portsmouth last Saturday.

Instead, Porto cut off his supply line by sending Fucile to stay in
his shadows. Didier Drogba and Shevchenko both rely on wide men to
provide the moments of magic, but Fucile forced Robben to drift inside
to try and gain possession.

While there is no doubting Robben's ability on the ball, there is a
side to his game that is not welcome in English football and he was
rightly booked after his theatrical dive over Fucile's outstretched
leg 10 minutes before the break.

Fucile's excellent defensive work forced Robben to switch sides, but
even then he struggled to make an impact. Predictably, it meant
Chelsea lacked width, but they were not without their chances.

Shevchenko sent an early effort over the bar, but they faced an uphill
struggle when Quaresma scored.

Mourinho's side had lost only one of their previous 24 matches — a 2-0
defeat at Liverpool in January — but they were facing an embarrassing
exit from the competition when they fell behind.

It forced Chelsea on to the front foot, but they failed to convert a
succession of first half chances. Michael Ballack miscued when
Robben's clever ball set Cole free down the left, but when the Chelsea
defender crossed, the German failed to connect inside the six-yard
box.

That was just the start of the onslaught and they should have been
level when Shevchenko tricked his way past three Porto players on the
way into the penalty area.

He earned the right to shoot with that memorable run, but he elected
to square the ball for Lampard but the stand-in Chelsea skipper
uncharacteristically mistimed his effort and it fell to Porto keeper
Helton.

Porto sat back and defended in numbers whenever Chelsea were in
possession and their dogged defensive performance owes much to their
inspirational centre half Pepe.

Bruno Alves may be the more celebrated member of Porto's central
defensive duo but Pepe turned in a performance of such authority that
he can expect the call to come from one of European football's top
clubs in the summer.

The Brazilian blocked everything that came his way and he has a turn
of pace that even left Drogba standing whenever Chelsea launched long
balls from their own backline.

Porto had their tails up after Quaresma gave them the lead and they
looked for him to provide some respite whenever Chelsea relinquished
possession.

Mourinho sacrificed his midfield enforcer Claude Makelele at the break
with Mikel John Obi and the decision had an immediate impact.

Robben, who was still operating on the right after a fruitless first
half, was the man who turned the tie back in Chelsea's favour with an
equalising goal that had more than hint of good fortune about it.

Porto did not appear to be in any danger when Robben exchanged passes
with the overlapping Diarra, but the Chelsea winger's unexpected left
foot effort caught Porto keeper Helton cold. The shot came through a
crowd of players, but Helton allowed the ball to deflect off his
midriff and into the net.

After that, Chelsea were champing at the bit. As Porto's players
visibly wilted, Chelsea had the chances to squeeze into the
quarter-finals before the threat of extra-time.

Robben rediscovered his attacking instincts and whenever he had the
ball, Porto played into his hands by giving him the time and space to
tear them apart.

Drogba, who was hoping to become the first player since Kerry Dixon to
score 30 goals in a single season, fired over the bar from outside the
area and Lampard fired a 20- yard free-kick straight into the wall.

Ballack's winner came in the 79th minute when Robben crossed from the
right, Shevchenko headed back across goal and Ballack was on hand to
volley home with his left foot.

CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech; Diarra (Ferreira 65), Essien, Carvalho, A Cole;
Ballack, Makelele (Mikel 46min), Lampard, Robben; Drogba, Shevchenko
(Kalou 84).
Booked: Robben, Diarra.
Scorers: Robben 48, Ballack 79.

PORTO (4-4-2): Helton; Fucile, Alves, Pepe, Cech (Ibson 56); Meireles
(Adriano 56), Gonzalez, Costa, Assuncao; Lopez, Quaresma.
Booked: Quaresma.
Scorer: Quaresma 15.
Man of the match: Michael Essien.
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).

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Chelsea 2 Porto 1

By SHAUN CUSTIS
March 07, 2007


SO Michael Ballack is some use after all.

For once, the German skipper justified his £130,000-a-week wages with
the goal which clinched Chelsea's passage into the Champions League
quarter-finals.

Ballack's close-range volley 11 minutes from time, after a game of
head-tennis between Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko, finally
calmed a nervy Stamford Bridge crowd.

The fans must have feared the Blues were going out when Porto took a
shock 15th-minute lead through Ricardo Quaresma.

But Arjen Robben equalised on 48 minutes, aided by a howler from Porto
keeper Helton, before Ballack's finale.

Boss Jose Mourinho has never lost faith in Ballack, 30, despite the
midfielder having a nightmare since his summer arrival from Bayern
Munich.

He was supposed to add German efficiency and precision to an already
well-oiled machine — but instead has proved to be more of a spanner in
the works.

Yet while Mourinho has been quick to publicly criticise £30million
striker Shevchenko, whose signing was orchestrated by owner Roman
Abramovich, the Special One has barely grimaced in Ballack's
direction.

He argued that Ballack was one of his nine untouchables who would not
be dropped — although no one else could understand what he brought to
the party.

German TV even turned up to the pre-match Press conference
specifically to ask about Ballack's form which has become a national
debate in his homeland.

Mourinho's answer was simple and he said: "He has been here six months
and already he has a medal from the Carling Cup. Had he stayed at
Bayern he would have won nothing."

Ballack may yet add to his collection. And Mourinho says his team
deserve more than one trophy for their efforts against the odds this
season having lost the services of "the best keeper in the world" in
Petr Cech and "the best centre-back in the world" in John Terry.

It is a fact they could end up winning all four competitions.

Maybe the Premiership is a long shot because they trail Manchester
United by nine points with a game in hand . . . but you never know.

And who would bet against them winning the Champions League and the FA Cup?

Mourinho knows he could be sacked at the end of it all because of his
fractious relationship with Abramovich, who was watching high up in
the stands.

But he is not afraid, content he will walk away with a fortune in compensation.

Mourinho claims he is under no pressure to win Europe's biggest club
prize but he certainly looked pretty stressed out when Porto went
ahead. And he admitted at half-time he feared they were going out.

The Blues central defence, again without Terry, was ruthlessly exposed
as Lucho Gonzalez played Quaresma in through a gaping hole down the
middle and the striker stroked a shot under Cech.

It was Quaresma who hit the bar with a stunning 25-yard shot in the
first leg so perhaps he had earned this one.

Chelsea huffed and puffed for the rest of the first half without
creating any openings and desperation set in as Robben resorted to a
couple of old tricks.

He dived once, when defender Fucile was a good yard away, and,
unbelievably, he did the same in the penalty area two minutes later.

Having given the Dutchman the benefit of the doubt on the first
occasion, Italian ref Roberto Rosetti could take no more and Robben
was booked.

Mourinho replaced holding midfielder Claude Makelele with Mikel John
Obi at the break, just as he did in the Carling Cup final, and within
three minutes of the re-start Chelsea were level.

Robben who, despite his antics, was easily Chelsea's most potent
force, tried his luck with a low shot from 20 yards.

It was struck more in hope than expectation but Helton flopped to his
left and somehow shovelled the ball into his own net.

Brazilian keepers have never been much cop and Helton did nothing to
enhance their reputation.

His error was the slice of luck Chelsea needed — they were still
living on the edge knowing a second goal for Porto would be fatal.

They had to balance their attacking instinct with one eye on defence.

But on 79 minutes, Ashley Cole, who had been getting down the flank
into dangerous areas all night, crossed deep and picked out Drogba.

The big Ivory Coast ace headed back across goal to Shevchenko who in
turn leapt to head back the other way where Ballack was free eight
yards out.

The German had time and space to size up his volley and he smacked it
beyond Helton.

It was a struggle but they got there in the end. Full marks for effort
if not for style.