Chelsea Scrape Through Against QPR - Reports

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Chelsea 1 QPR 0

QPR OFFICIAL SITE
QPR left Stamford Bridge with their heads held high, despite bowing out of the FA Cup to holders and near-neighbours Chelsea.
A fluke goal in the 29th minute proved to be the difference between the West London rivals, on an afternoon when the R's impressive performance promised much for a very bright future.
Lee Camp was the unlucky culprit, as Claudio Pizarro's right foot shot bounced back off the post and hit the unfortunate keeper, before trickling over the line.
Despite the final scoreline, Rangers were by no means overawed by their hosts, with Martin Rowlands and Gavin Mahon at the heart of their efficient display.
Luigi De Canio handed new signings Mahon, Matthew Connolly and Fitz Hall their full QPR debuts at Stamford Bridge.
Hogan Ephraim made his second debut for the R's following his loan spell earlier in the season, while Akos Buzsaky also started after the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed on his permanent switch from Plymouth Argyle.
Chelsea boss Avram Grant named a strong starting XI, which included England regulars Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
On a cold afternoon in West London, new signing Connolly signalled his immediate intentions with a bustling challenge on former Rangers loanee Scott Sinclair, while skipper for the day Martin Rowlands steamed into Steve Sidwell, as the R's more than held their own in the opening exchanges.
Indeed it was Rangers who created the first chance of the half on 11 minutes, when Buzsaky's sublime dummy allowed Gareth Ainsworth to coast through. Unfortunately for Rangers, Sidwell was in the right place, at the right time to deny the roaming midfielder, as he set himself to let fly.
Ainsworth was enjoying some early joy against England left-back Cole, robbing the former Arsenal man of possession deep in Chelsea territory, before delivering a piercing 14th minute cross, which the on-rushing Dexter Blackstock just failed to connect with.
At the other end, Solomon Kalou was inches away from connecting with Wright-Phillips' inviting cross, as the ball fizzed across the face of the six-yard box.
Despite Rangers' impressive start, it was the FA Cup holders who opened the scoring in the 29th minute, albeit in rather fortuitous circumstances.
Pizarro's low drive cannoned off the foot of Camp's right hand post and with the keeper diving full stretch, the ball bounced back and ricocheted off his side before bobbling over the line.
Buoyed by their goal, the hosts went close to doubling their advantage five minutes before the break, when Wright-Phillips sent a fearsome drive inches wide of Camp's left hand upright.
The lively Buzsaky fired over from distance in the 44th minute, after Blackstock played provider with a deft lay-off, but it was Chelsea who went closest to adding a second on the stroke of half-time, when Sidwell smashed a 25-yard drive off the base of the post.
De Canio made his first change at the break, bringing on Patrick Agyemang in place of the hardworking Ainsworth and reverting to a 4-4-2 formation.
Alex stung the palms of Camp with an ambitious 40-yard strike moments after the resumption, before De Canio's best laid plans were dealt a setback, when Buzsaky limped off with an ankle injury and Kieran Lee entered the fray for his QPR debut.
Despite the loss of the Magical Magyar, Rangers continued to enjoy the equal share of territory and possession and when the ball fell to Rowlands 20-yards from goal, his left foot shot rose inches over the Chelsea crossbar.
Rowlands was a constant thorn in the Chelsea side, forcing Hilario to save at his feet after he shot from distance, while at the other end, Pizarro blazed high and wide after cutting in from the right flank.
But it was Rangers who continued to ask questions of their hosts, with Agyemang bearing down on goal before seeing his 58th minute deflected effort well held by Hilario.
Grant wasn't all together happy with his charges and he made it known, bellowing instructions from the sidelines, before introducing the returning Didier Drogba at the expense of Sinclair on the hour mark.
De Canio responded by introducing Angelo Balanta for Ephraim, but despite a spirited effort to get back in the game, the all-important equaliser evaded the R's, who once again bowed out at the third round stage.
Chelsea: Hilario, A Cole, Sidwell, Mikel, Pizarro (Ballack 72), Sinclair (Drogba 60), Ferreira, Kalou, Ben Haim, Wright-Phillips (J Cole 79), Alex.
Subs: Taylor, Belletti.
Scorers: Camp o.g 29
QPR: Camp, Barker, Mahon, Stewart, Blackstock, Buzsaky (Lee 50), Ainsworth (Agyemang 46), Rowlands, Connolly, Ephraim (Balanta 66), Hall.
Subs: Bolder, Walton.
Scorers:
Bookings: Hall 73
Red Cards:
Referee: Mr M Dean
Attendance: 41, 289 QPR


CHELSEA OFFICIAL SITE - MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 1 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0
The FA Cup holders have taken the first step on this season's road to Wembley with an undramatic victory - courtesy of a first-half own goal.
It was far from the most convincing home performance of the season although once the visitors from across west London had spent their initial rush of energy, an upset never looked on the cards.
The Chelsea starting line-up looked solid with the added insurance of fit-again Didier Drogba on the bench.
His Ivorian colleague, Salomon Kalou, led the attack in a 4-2-3-1 shape that included Steve Sidwell in midfield; 18-year-old Scott Sinclair on the left and Ashley Cole as captain for the first time.
There was a nervous moment for Rangers' keeper Lee Camp in the first two minutes. Not the tallest, he came for a corner and failed to catch, retrieving the situation by gathering on the ground among a forest of legs.
The Championship side settled down after that moment. Chelsea won another corner soon after but then QPR pushed forward and enjoyed the territorial advantage in the opening 10 minutes, without creating chances.
On 14 minutes, a great Mikel ball wide gave Ferreira the chance to cut round the back. He was challenged from behind on the edge of the area and fell but there was neither an appeal nor a penalty given.
Midway through the first half and with Chelsea by now on top, Wright-Phillips crossed low after his initial corner routine had failed, and although Pizarro stooped, the ball flew across the six-yard area to safety.
A similar ball in from Ferreira on 25 minutes suffered the same fate.
The opener came three minutes later, an inadvertent own-goal by QPR keeper Camp that owed much to the enterprise of Kalou. Cutting down the inside left channel, he found Pizarro who delayed his shot to work inside Mahon before letting fly.
Not the hardest attempt, it hit the left-hand post and then the left hand of the diving keeper, rebounding in. It had taken 28 minutes to set the ball rolling.
Wright-Phillips, at full sprint, blasted wide of the near-post from an angle on 37 minutes and two minutes later, Kalou could have done better when a Wright-Phillips free-kick found him, the ball striking his thigh for a comfortable save.
One minute before the break came the move of the game so far. The attack originated down the right, Kalou laying Wright-Phillips's pass back to Sidwell who was denied his first Stamford Bridge goal by the width a post as his piledriver cannoned back.
A single-goal lead at the break was a fair reflection of a low-key first 45 minutes.
In the third minute of the second-half, Alex hit a 35-yard free-kick with a characteristic thump, Camp saving low and Sinclair, against the side he spent the early part of the season at, just failing to control the rebound. Kalou then had a shot blocked by a defender.
QPR, having already made a substitution at the break, lost top scorer Buzsaky to injury on 50 minutes, shortly before their best moment - a Rowland volley from the edge of the area that just whistled over the bar. The Rangers skipper then tested Hilario with his side's first on-target shot of the game.
Pizarro had a chance on 56 minutes after racing clear onside down the right but blasting over.
On the hour came the Chelsea cheer of the day - Drogba replacing Sinclair for his first action since the first day of December. Kalou pushed out wide to the left.
Mikel went close from approaching 30 yards before Grant made his second switch, Ballack replacing Pizarro on 71 minutes with the shape switching to 4-3-3.
New QPR signing Fitz Hall became the first booking of the game for scything down Wright-Phillips.
The match continued in the same vein - only sporadic penalty area action and a low tempo to the midfield play. Rangers looked anything but a side with the ideas needed to force a replay.
Joe Cole was Chelsea's final sub - Wright-Phillips withdrawn with 12 minutes to go.
They were 12 minutes of little incident apart from an stoppage-time shot on the run by Drogba, pushed wide by Camp.
Chelsea will discover our fourth round opponents when the draw is made Monday lunchtime.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hilario; Ferreira, Ben-Haim, Alex, A Cole (c); Sidwell, Mikel; Wright-Phillips (J Cole 78), Pizarro (Ballack 71), Sinclair; Kalou.
Scorer Camp (o.g.) 28,
QPR (4-4-1-1) Camp; Connolly, Stewart, Hall, Barker; Ainsworth (Agyemang h-t), Rowlands (c), Mahon, Ephraim (Balanta 65); Buzsaky (Lee); Blackstock.
Booked Hall 72. Chelsea

CHELSEA OFFICIAL - MINUTE BY MINUTE -
MINUTE DETAIL: CHELSEA 1 QPR 0

First-half.
Kick-off Chelsea
2 Corners Two early corners for Chelsea as we look to attack down the flanks.
17 Quiet Uneventful opening to the game, with Chelsea dominating possession but neither side having any shots on goal. Ferreira had an unlikely penalty appeal turned down.
28 CHELSEA GOAL Claudio Pizarro cuts inside and fires a low shot from the edge of the area, which ends up in the back of the net with help from both the post and goalkeeper Lee Camp's arm.
37 Break A Chelsea break forward releases Shaun Wright-Phillips, who jinks his way down the right, but his shot goes just wide of Camp's near post.
39 Chance Wright-Phillips' free-kick is met by Kalou, who improvises and uses his thigh to guide the ball goalwards. The effort is comfortably dealt with by Camp.
44 Woodork A flowing Chelsea move involving Shaun Wright-Phillips and Paulo Ferreira ends with Steve Sidwell rattling the post from 25 yards with a powerful low effort.
Stoppage time 1 min
Half-time Chelsea 1 QPR 0
Second-half.
Half-time QPR substitution Patrick Agyemang replaces Gareth Ainsworth.
Kick-off QPR.
47 Saved A trademark Alex free-kick from range is parried away by Camp, after Kalou caused trouble in the visitors' box.
50 QPR Substitution Kieran Lee, on loan from Manchester United, replaces Akos Buzsaky.
51 Warning QPR captain Martin Rowlands fires just over with a half-volley, after a deep free-kick was not properly cleared by Chelsea.
55 Danger Rowlands repeats his previous effort but this time finds the safe arms of Hilario.
56 Miss Pizarro, in on goal, cuts back and fires over from close range. The Peruvian should have scored, as Drogba prepares to come on.
60 Chelsea substiution Didier Drogba makes his return after a month on the sidelines, in place of Scott Sinclair.
65 QPR substitution Angelo Balanta replaces Hogan Ephraim, who had been making his first appearance since signing permanently from West Ham this week.
71 Chelsea substitution Ballack replaces Pizarro, whose goal appears to have been awarded as an own goal.
72 Abused QPR's debutant centre-half Fitz Hall upends Wright-Phillips, earning himself a yellow card.
78 Chelsea substitution Joe Cole enters the action, at the expense of Wright-Phillips.

Stoppage time 3 mins

Shots on target Chelsea 4 QPR 2
Corners Chelsea 8 QPR 0
Fouls Chelsea 12 QPR 9
Offsides Chelsea 4 QPR 0

Comment

Grant made several changes to the side that ground out a win at Fulham, with Mikel replacing Ballack in midfield and Ashley Cole coming in for Wayne Bridge. Joe Cole was rested, allowing Scott Sinclair an appearance against the side he spent time on loan with earlier this season.

The left-back was making his first appearance as a Chelsea captain, replacing Ballack in that role in the continued absence of John Terry and Frank Lampard.

It was the first meeting of the two sides since March 1996, coincidentally the same year this west London derby was last contested in the FA Cup, with Chelsea running out 2-1 winners at Loftus Road that time.

Avoiding defeat today makes it 54 undefeated home matches for the Blues, going back to February 2006. As defending champions, our last FA Cup defeat came in April 2006, when we tasted semi-final heartbreak against Liverpool.

Today also marks Avram Grant's first FA Cup game in charge of Chelsea, meaning he has now coached Chelsea in all four major club competitions.

A clean sheet was Chelsea's first in four attempts, after conceding to Aston Villa, Newcastle and Fulham, while Claudio Pizarro still awaits his first goal since the start of the season after today's effort was adjudged to be a Lee Camp own goal.

For highlights of today's game, visit Chelsea Plus, or for the full 90 minutes tune into Chelsea TV, both from 6pm on Sunday. Chelsea

BBC - Chelsea 1-0 QPR By Nathan Mercer
Holders Chelsea held off their west London neighbours but were helped by a Lee Camp own goal to seal their place in the FA Cup fourth round.
The Hoops's goalkeeper was helpless as Claudio Pizarro's low drive hit the post, rebounded off Camp's back and bobbled across the line.
Substitute Patrick Agyemang should have slotted past Hilario after the break as the well-organised visitors improved.
Rarely do Chelsea host a side richer than themselves but their class prevailed in this battle of the billionaires, despite a spirited performance from the team 35 places below them in the league standings.
The Hoops denied their neighbours time and space early on, disrupting Chelsea's rhythm and breaking up play in midfield.
But the visitors' early zest and work rate soon fizzled out and they fell behind on 28 minutes, albeit through a huge slice of fortune.
Pizarro swivelled on the edge of the box and crashed his low shot off the post, only for Camp to inadvertently knock it back in.
The goal settled the home side who wrestled control of the game in midfield with Steve Sidwell dictating the play.
Shaun Wright-Phillips went close when he fired over from the edge of the box, while Sidwell went even closer when he struck the post with a low drive from 25 yards that had Camp well beaten.
QPR, with five debutants in their starting line-up, failed to seriously trouble Hilario although Agyemang should have slotted past the keeper from close range. Instead, he scuffed his effort into the keeper's arms.
Didier Drogba, bound for the African Cup of Nations on Sunday, made his return from the knee surgery he underwent in early December. But he, and those behind him, struggled to kill off a dogged QPR.
But despite a valiant effort in the last 15 minutes, the four-time winners held out to progress.
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Chelsea's Michael Ballack 8.53 (on 90 minutes). BBC Report