Premiership, Chelsea 3-0 Sheff Utd

Shevchenko shines as Chelsea cruise

Chelsea defeated Sheffield United 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to once again move to within six points of leaders Manchester United.

Andriy Shevchenko, Saloman Kalou and Michael Ballack scored the goals for Jose Mourinho’s side . Mourinho, opting to leave Didier Drogba on the bench, watched his team take the lead after just four minutes.

Ricardo Carvalho beat three players before finding Shevchenko with a wonderful crossfield ball. The Ukrainian then lashed a shot past Paddy Kenny in the Blades goal.

It was 2-0 when a cross from the lively Shaun Wright-Phillips was touched on by Shevchenko, with Kalou applying the finish.

The visitors weren’t out of it, though. Petr Cech kept out a long-range strike from Colin Kazim Richards, while Rob Hulse went close with an overhead kick.

Cech also had to be alert to save from Hulse after a Keith Gillespie cross. There was bad news for the Blades as top-scorer Hulse suffered a suspected broken ankle in the collision.

Ballack was introduced as a half-time substitute for Frank Lampard, as Mourinho shuffled his pack with Monday’s FA Cup replay against Tottenham in mind.

He made it 3-0 when heading in a Wright-Phillips free-kick after the referee had deemed that Gillespie fouled Arjen Robben.

There was little to speak of in the second-half, although Wright Phillips shot just wide as he continues to look for his first league goal for Chelsea.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho:
"We played well, we started well and scored two goals so after 20 minutes the game is under control.

"They had a little spell before half-time but we were in control and played well in the second half.

"When we have our best players back we are a good team and it is no surprise to me that we have won six games in a row."

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock on Rob Hulse's injury:
"It looks like a double fracture. It was pretty horrific - one of those where you look away.

"He almost got the ball but his ankle collided with Cech's leg, goes one way and then goes the other way.

"We have a job on our hands and it is up to one of the other lads to take us on from what Rob has done for us."

Chelsea: Cech, Boulahrouz, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole (Ferreira 65), Wright-Phillips, Makelele, Lampard (Ballack 46), Robben, Shevchenko (Drogba 65), Kalou.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Diarra.

Goals: Shevchenko 4, Kalou 17, Ballack 58.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Geary, Davis, Morgan, Armstrong, Gillespie, Alan Quinn (Tonge 67), Jagielka, Montgomery, Kazim-Richards, Hulse (Nade 25).
Subs Not Used: Bromby, Shelton, Stead.

Chelsea 3-0 Sheff Utd, highlights and goals:

Champions League, Chelsea 2-1 Porto

Ballack finally delivers to send Chelsea into last eight

Michael Ballack's late strike put Chelsea into the last eight of the Champions League after they came from behind to beat Porto.

Chelsea were on their way out after falling behind to Ricardo Quaresma's first half strike, but Ballack capped an impressive fightback as Chelsea scraped through their second round tie 3-2 on aggregate. Arjen Robben cancelled out Quaresma's goal early in the second half and German international Ballack won it with a fine effort 11 minutes from full-time.

Ballack has been well below his best since his pre-season move from Bayern Munich, but he was signed by Mourinho for important European nights like this and finally showed why he is regarded as one of the world's leading midfielders.

Porto took the lead after just 15 minutes when a slick move ended with Quaresma poking the ball under the body of the outstretched Petr Cech after picking up Lucho Gonzalez's pass.

Thereafter, at least for the rest of the half, Porto looked in control and it seemed only a mistake or a moment of brilliance would affect their position.

As it happened, it was a mistake. And what a howler it was at the start of the second half.

Robben, who picked up a yellow card for diving early in the half, received the ball on the right and cut inside before firing in a relatively tame shot that keeper Heldon got a hand to, but not a strong enough one as the ball looped into the net. Chelsea pressed for a winner and sent in a number of teasing crosses testing the Porto shot-stopper, who looked a little jittery after his error.

However, it was not an error that handed Chelsea their much-valued win but a well-worked move that saw Didier Drogba nod Ashley Cole's centre on to the head of Shevchenko who in turn found Ballack.

Ballack steadied himself, swivelled and fired a low volley from six yards past Heldon and into the quarter finals. Chelsea will discover on Friday who they are paired with in the last eight.

Chelsea: Cech, Diarra (Ferreira 65), Essien, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Makelele (Mikel 46), Robben, Ballack, Lampard, Shevchenko (Kalou 84), Drogba.

Subs Not Used: Hilario, Boulahrouz, Bridge, Wright-Phillips.

Booked: Robben, Diarra.

Goals: Robben 48, Ballack 79.

FC Porto: Helton, Fucile, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Cech (Ibson 55), Gonzalez, Ricardo Costa, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles (Adriano 55), Lopez (Bruno Moraes 82), Quaresma.
Subs Not Used: Vitor Baia, Alan, Postiga, Joao Paulo.

Booked: Quaresma, Fucile, Adriano.

Goals: Quaresma 15.

Champions league Chelsea 2-1 Porto extended highlights and goals:

Chelsea Hit By Ballack Injury.

The Premiership champions have lost Wayne Bridge and Ashley Cole in recent weeks and now have doubts over John Obi Mikel and Michael Ballack following the international break.

Ballack suffered a strain towards the end of the first half and did not return after the break and the skipper admitted he didn't know how serious it was when questioned after the match.

"It is definitely a strain but I hope it's not serious," Ballack told PA Sport.

"We have to wait and see in the next few days how the pain is. I hope it does not get worse."

Some may see the loss as a blessing for Chelsea as Ballack has been seen as a factor in their problems this season, but nonetheless seems to be a certain starter for Jose Mourinho.