Spartak Moscow against Chelsea

Terrible backpass from Ashley Cole and Cech had to be quick off his line to ward off the advances of Welliton.

Jano is an exciting prospect, an 18-year-old winger who is full of tricks and fearless on the ball.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Spartak sub: Jano on for Ari.

<i>Stats: Nicolas Anelka's goal was his 50th for Chelsea. </i>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Chelsea sub: Kakuta on for Malouda.

McGeady tries an audacious flick to try to get past Ivanovic but just runs the ball out of play.

It would be a shame for Spartak not to get the goal that their spirited second-half display deserves.

Ari wins the ball from Mikel and tries his luck from 25 yards out, but Cech is (of course!) up to the task.

Chelsea struggle to clear their lines again and a handball shout goes up against Terry. The ref shakes his head.

Mikel penalised for a challenge on Ari - looked okay to me but it's a Spartak free-kick.

McGeady has now moved over to the left to try and get some joy against Ferreira.

No-one wants to score for Spartak! The ball pinballs around int he six-yard box but there are no players in the right place at the right time to blast it in.

Parshivlyuk accelerates away from Zhirkov but the Chelsea man does well tor ecover and force a corner.

A Mexican wave is working it's way around the stadium - are the Spartak fans really that bored?!

Sheshukov and Kombarov combine well down the left but the latter's cross is dealt with easily by Terry.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Chelsea sub: McEachran on for Kalou.

Great work by Kalou down the right, he pulls it back and it's a wonderful chance for Essien but he's dragged his shot wide of the left post from about 12 yards out.

Josh McEachran warming up for Chelsea, he's about to come on but Blues fans will be hoping there is no repeat of the loose pass that almost gave Nigel Reo-Coker a winner on Saturday.

Ari wins the ball and drives Spartak forward. Ivanovic brings down Welliton...oh, actually it's been given the other way. Not sure about that one ref!

<i>Stats: This is Carlo Ancelotti's 100th Champions League match as a manager.</i>

Defended easily and the English champions come away with the ball.

Although they've just given it away and McGeady - who has burst into life since half-time - crosses in dangerously to earn Spartak a corner.

Chelsea now finally keeping some semblance of possession.

Chelsea trying to combat the ever pressing red wave, but there defence (and by that, I mean Petr Cech) is holding up well at present.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2010/1019/yurizhirkovscoresvspartak20101019_275x155.jpg"><br> Yuri Zirkhov smashes in Chelsea's opener.

Guess what's coming? Another great save from Cech - it was a stinging effort from Ari.

Great stuff from Cech, a fluid move from Spartak involving Kombarov and McGeady ended with Ibson striking one and the keeper had to be alert to tip it over.

Dikan was well off his line at one point in Chelsea's last break, but Kalou failed to spot him and attempt a cheeky lob.

Spartak set-piece is gathered by Cech and Chelsea immediately break. The ball falls to Anelka but Suchy gets a competent challenge in and its back to the Russians to advance again.

Kombarov partaking in Spartak's apparent shoot-on-site policy. His right-foot effort didn't really test Cech - though the Chelsea stopper did well to hold onto the powerful strike.

A clever short one from Kalou finds Anelka on the edge of the box but it seemed to be a little to clever for the Chelsea players themselves and Spartak emerge with the ball.

Essien brought down by Sheshukov and Chelsea have a free-kick 30 yards out.

Kombarov again making space down the left, but again his cross ends up in Cech's hands. The left-winger has made Ferreira look very ordinary.

It's all Spartak in what has been a very lively opening to the second period.

Parshivlyuk and McGeady interchange impressively down the right but the former's cross is easily gathered by Cech.

Kombarov escapes the clutches of Ferreira down the left and whips a cross in...but it's over everyone and out harmlessly for a throw-in on the far side.

Mikel gives the ball away but Anelka wins it back straight away in midfield.

Referee blows up for some handbags in the box and Chelsea have a free-kick.

Good running from Kombarov but Ferreira eases him off the ball, giving away a corner in the process.

McGeady with a curling left-foot effort, but it's safely into Cech's hands.

Another effort sails over, this time Welliton is the player to find the stands behind Cech's goal.

Spartak have looked impressive so far in the second half and who can blame them, they need to push hard to get back into the game.

McGeady cuts in from the right, sprints away from Cole and gets a shot away. The effort is deflected off Cole and Cech is required to make an impressive save to tip it away for a corner.

Kalou on the break for Chelsea, he feeds Anelka in down the right but rather than try to take it past goalkeeper Dikan he attempts a pull-back which finishes in no-man's land.

Ari strikes one from the edge of the box but it's high and over.

Kombarov makes some space down the left straight from kick-off but his cross is met by John Terry.

And we're off for the second half...

<b>HALF TIME</b> An excellent half for Chelsea, who made the most of their chances. Zhirkov's was a belter, Anelka's was superb and Spartak were made to pay for squandering their several openings. Join us in 15 minutes.

Spartak try to hit back with a Pareja header from a McGeady corner but it is right at Cech.

Anelka banishes memories of that earlier miss with an excellent finish, latching onto Essien's ball, cutting inside and planting a shot into the corner. An excellent finish.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Anelka makes no mistake this time and Chelsea lead 2-0!

Mcgeady gets a rare chance to get down the right but his cross is poor and cleared by Ivanovic.

Our 'commentator' is asking whether the pitch had anything to do with that heavy Anelka touch. I can categorically state it didn't, it was all Anelka's fault.

Extremely poor from Anelka, who bursts onto a poor back pass but miscontrols and allows Dikan to save at his feet, then a poor pass when he claimed the rebound. That had to be 2-0.

Terry is not endearing himself to the home crowd by shoving Welliton out of the way, then claiming an elbow. Earlier it looked like Ivanovic may have landed an inadvertent blow on the striker.

Now Anelka bursts clear but can't get his cross past Pareja, who seems to be providing the same cover for Suchy as Terry is for Ivanovic.

Perhaps mindful of their previous encounter, Ivanovic now fouls Welliton.

An opening for Welliton, but again Terry comes to Ivanovic's rescue, after the centre half had been beaten all ends up.

Now Anelka does take on the shot when he should have passed. Chelsea should be two goals up here.

Anekla plays in Essien who is at an angle but only 12 yards out - why he chose to cross and not shoot I don't know.

Anelka gets down the right and crosses but Pareja clears.

A ridiculous effort from Pareja from a free kick 35 yards out. An aimless shot high over the bar.

Chelsea can sit in now and let the Russians come forward. They have shown some attacking menace in the opning half hour though.

Ferreira does just about enough to hook a long ball out of the air before Ari can get there, then nod the ball back to Cech.

Nice link up between Kalou and Anelka. The former flicks off to the latter who busts a low shot past the post.

It had to be you ... Spartak's fans do not like that one bit.

What a pearler. Back in Moscow (he used to play for CSKA of course) and he has absolutely thumped a volley into the top corner from 25 yards. there's no stopping them.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> A screamer from Zhirkov!

A superb tackle from Terry, who goes to ground to claim the ball from Welliton. He got a thump for his trouble, did the Chelsea skipper.

Ari's neat chip is chested down by Welliton but then he falls over. Quite why I know not.

Mcgeady's first real involvement sees him whip in a cross with his left foot but Cech can claim easily.

Another Chelsea corner and Essien meets it but can't direct his header on target.

Spartak clear Malouda's corner and his follow up comfortably.

A good, open game this. Now Cole charges down the left and wins a corner.

Now a lovely move from Chelsea as Kalou finds Malouda, and his touch offers him a shooting chance, but his right footed effort flies narrowly wide.

Now Cech is forced into an excellent near post save from Ari as he span and volleyed towards goal. The keeper flicked out a leg to block a fierce shot.

That should remind Chelsea they won't have things all their own way here, because they started the game very confidently indeed.

Now Welliton gets in front of Ivanovic to collect a long ball but Terry jabs a foot at the ball and clears.

a superb opening for Kombarov, after the ball had fallen to him after an excellent run from Sheshukov, but his shot from 13 yards out is over the bar.

A stray pass from Cole forces Ferreira to head out of play.

Ferreira crosses but Suchy clears. Chelsea dominating so far.

Chelsea are on top in the early exchanges and are passing crisply on this fast surface.

First shot on goal in the game and it is from Kalou, but his volley is high and wide. A difficult chance in truth.

Welliton gets past Ivanovic and crosses but Mikel is there to tidy up.

Chelsea break with Zhirkov but Anelka is crowded out on the right.

Anelka sticks his boot in Pareja's face.

<b>KICK OFF</b>

The teams are out, the stadium is packed and we're all set.

Both teams come into the game on the back of two group wins, so the carrot for victory tonight is almost certain qualification for the knock out stage. Whether Spartak will attack the English champions is up for debate though. I have a sneaky feeling both would settle for a draw.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel, Zhirkov, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda. Subs: Turnbull, Van Aanholt, Bruma, Kakuta, McEachran, Clifford, Mellis.

Spartak Moscow: Dikan, Parshivlyuk, Pareja, Suchy, Makeev, McGeady, Ibson, Shyeshukov, Dmitri Kombarov, Ari, Welliton. Subs: Pesyakov, Maidana, Stranzl, Sabitov, Ivanov, Ananidze, Kozlov.

With all the talk of Wayne Rooney this afternoon it's been easy to forget we have a big Champions League night ahead. Here's a final plug for our coverage on the <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=833731&sec=uefachampionsleague&cc=5739" target="_blank">Rooney affair</a> then it is Spartak v Chelsea all the way.

JT insists that his <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=833453&sec=england&cc=5739" target="_blank">penalty nightmare</a> is behind him though.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2010/0518/johnterrymoscowpenaltyslip20100518_275x155.jpg">John Terry slips up at the final.

Chelsea are back in the Luzhniki stadium again for the first time since 2008. Will they slip up again? Join us from 1730 BST.

Great work by Kalou down the right, he pulls it back and it's a wonderful chance for Essien but he's dragged his shot wide of the left post from about 12 yards out.

Josh McEachran warming up for Chelsea, he's about to come on but Blues fans will be hoping there is no repeat of the loose pass that almost gave Nigel Reo-Coker a winner on Saturday.

Ari wins the ball and drives Spartak forward. Ivanovic brings down Welliton...oh, actually it's been given the other way. Not sure about that one ref!

<i>Stats: This is Carlo Ancelotti's 100th Champions League match as a manager.</i>

Defended easily and the English champions come away with the ball.

Although they've just given it away and McGeady - who has burst into life since half-time - crosses in dangerously to earn Spartak a corner.

Chelsea now finally keeping some semblance of possession.

Chelsea trying to combat the ever pressing red wave, but there defence (and by that, I mean Petr Cech) is holding up well at present.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2010/1019/yurizhirkovscoresvspartak20101019_275x155.jpg"><br> Yuri Zirkhov smashes in Chelsea's opener.

Guess what's coming? Another great save from Cech - it was a stinging effort from Ari.

Great stuff from Cech, a fluid move from Spartak involving Kombarov and McGeady ended with Ibson striking one and the keeper had to be alert to tip it over.

Dikan was well off his line at one point in Chelsea's last break, but Kalou failed to spot him and attempt a cheeky lob.

Spartak set-piece is gathered by Cech and Chelsea immediately break. The ball falls to Anelka but Suchy gets a competent challenge in and its back to the Russians to advance again.

Kombarov partaking in Spartak's apparent shoot-on-site policy. His right-foot effort didn't really test Cech - though the Chelsea stopper did well to hold onto the powerful strike.

A clever short one from Kalou finds Anelka on the edge of the box but it seemed to be a little to clever for the Chelsea players themselves and Spartak emerge with the ball.

Essien brought down by Sheshukov and Chelsea have a free-kick 30 yards out.

Kombarov again making space down the left, but again his cross ends up in Cech's hands. The left-winger has made Ferreira look very ordinary.

It's all Spartak in what has been a very lively opening to the second period.

Parshivlyuk and McGeady interchange impressively down the right but the former's cross is easily gathered by Cech.

Kombarov escapes the clutches of Ferreira down the left and whips a cross in...but it's over everyone and out harmlessly for a throw-in on the far side.

Mikel gives the ball away but Anelka wins it back straight away in midfield.

Referee blows up for some handbags in the box and Chelsea have a free-kick.

Good running from Kombarov but Ferreira eases him off the ball, giving away a corner in the process.

McGeady with a curling left-foot effort, but it's safely into Cech's hands.

Another effort sails over, this time Welliton is the player to find the stands behind Cech's goal.

Spartak have looked impressive so far in the second half and who can blame them, they need to push hard to get back into the game.

McGeady cuts in from the right, sprints away from Cole and gets a shot away. The effort is deflected off Cole and Cech is required to make an impressive save to tip it away for a corner.

Kalou on the break for Chelsea, he feeds Anelka in down the right but rather than try to take it past goalkeeper Dikan he attempts a pull-back which finishes in no-man's land.

Ari strikes one from the edge of the box but it's high and over.

Kombarov makes some space down the left straight from kick-off but his cross is met by John Terry.

And we're off for the second half...

<b>HALF TIME</b> An excellent half for Chelsea, who made the most of their chances. Zhirkov's was a belter, Anelka's was superb and Spartak were made to pay for squandering their several openings. Join us in 15 minutes.

Spartak try to hit back with a Pareja header from a McGeady corner but it is right at Cech.

Anelka banishes memories of that earlier miss with an excellent finish, latching onto Essien's ball, cutting inside and planting a shot into the corner. An excellent finish.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Anelka makes no mistake this time and Chelsea lead 2-0!

Mcgeady gets a rare chance to get down the right but his cross is poor and cleared by Ivanovic.

Our 'commentator' is asking whether the pitch had anything to do with that heavy Anelka touch. I can categorically state it didn't, it was all Anelka's fault.

Extremely poor from Anelka, who bursts onto a poor back pass but miscontrols and allows Dikan to save at his feet, then a poor pass when he claimed the rebound. That had to be 2-0.

Terry is not endearing himself to the home crowd by shoving Welliton out of the way, then claiming an elbow. Earlier it looked like Ivanovic may have landed an inadvertent blow on the striker.

Now Anelka bursts clear but can't get his cross past Pareja, who seems to be providing the same cover for Suchy as Terry is for Ivanovic.

Perhaps mindful of their previous encounter, Ivanovic now fouls Welliton.

An opening for Welliton, but again Terry comes to Ivanovic's rescue, after the centre half had been beaten all ends up.

Now Anelka does take on the shot when he should have passed. Chelsea should be two goals up here.

Anekla plays in Essien who is at an angle but only 12 yards out - why he chose to cross and not shoot I don't know.

Anelka gets down the right and crosses but Pareja clears.

A ridiculous effort from Pareja from a free kick 35 yards out. An aimless shot high over the bar.

Chelsea can sit in now and let the Russians come forward. They have shown some attacking menace in the opning half hour though.

Ferreira does just about enough to hook a long ball out of the air before Ari can get there, then nod the ball back to Cech.

Nice link up between Kalou and Anelka. The former flicks off to the latter who busts a low shot past the post.

It had to be you ... Spartak's fans do not like that one bit.

What a pearler. Back in Moscow (he used to play for CSKA of course) and he has absolutely thumped a volley into the top corner from 25 yards. there's no stopping them.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> A screamer from Zhirkov!

A superb tackle from Terry, who goes to ground to claim the ball from Welliton. He got a thump for his trouble, did the Chelsea skipper.

Ari's neat chip is chested down by Welliton but then he falls over. Quite why I know not.

Mcgeady's first real involvement sees him whip in a cross with his left foot but Cech can claim easily.

Another Chelsea corner and Essien meets it but can't direct his header on target.

Spartak clear Malouda's corner and his follow up comfortably.

A good, open game this. Now Cole charges down the left and wins a corner.

Now a lovely move from Chelsea as Kalou finds Malouda, and his touch offers him a shooting chance, but his right footed effort flies narrowly wide.

Now Cech is forced into an excellent near post save from Ari as he span and volleyed towards goal. The keeper flicked out a leg to block a fierce shot.

That should remind Chelsea they won't have things all their own way here, because they started the game very confidently indeed.

Now Welliton gets in front of Ivanovic to collect a long ball but Terry jabs a foot at the ball and clears.

a superb opening for Kombarov, after the ball had fallen to him after an excellent run from Sheshukov, but his shot from 13 yards out is over the bar.

A stray pass from Cole forces Ferreira to head out of play.

Ferreira crosses but Suchy clears. Chelsea dominating so far.

Chelsea are on top in the early exchanges and are passing crisply on this fast surface.

First shot on goal in the game and it is from Kalou, but his volley is high and wide. A difficult chance in truth.

Welliton gets past Ivanovic and crosses but Mikel is there to tidy up.

Chelsea break with Zhirkov but Anelka is crowded out on the right.

Anelka sticks his boot in Pareja's face.

<b>KICK OFF</b>

The teams are out, the stadium is packed and we're all set.

Both teams come into the game on the back of two group wins, so the carrot for victory tonight is almost certain qualification for the knock out stage. Whether Spartak will attack the English champions is up for debate though. I have a sneaky feeling both would settle for a draw.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel, Zhirkov, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda. Subs: Turnbull, Van Aanholt, Bruma, Kakuta, McEachran, Clifford, Mellis.

Spartak Moscow: Dikan, Parshivlyuk, Pareja, Suchy, Makeev, McGeady, Ibson, Shyeshukov, Dmitri Kombarov, Ari, Welliton. Subs: Pesyakov, Maidana, Stranzl, Sabitov, Ivanov, Ananidze, Kozlov.

With all the talk of Wayne Rooney this afternoon it's been easy to forget we have a big Champions League night ahead. Here's a final plug for our coverage on the <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=833731&sec=uefachampionsleague&cc=5739" target="_blank">Rooney affair</a> then it is Spartak v Chelsea all the way.

JT insists that his <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=833453&sec=england&cc=5739" target="_blank">penalty nightmare</a> is behind him though.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2010/0518/johnterrymoscowpenaltyslip20100518_275x155.jpg">John Terry slips up at the final.

Chelsea are back in the Luzhniki stadium again for the first time since 2008. Will they slip up again? Join us from 1730 BST.