Chelsea beat Spartak in Champions League

English Premier League champions Chelsea maintained their 100percent record in this season’s Champions’ League with a 2-0 win over the hosts Spartak Moscow here on Tuesday.

Yury Zhirkov and Nicolas Anelka both scored for the visitors to record their third successive win and inflict Spartak’s first defeat of the campaign.

It was a happier result for the English side than their last appearance here when they lost on penalties to Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League final.

The result left Chelsea on top of the table with nine points from three matches, three points ahead of Spartak.

French side Marseille and Slovak outfit Zilina, who are both yet to garner a point, will play in the other Group F match later Tuesday.

Spartak coach Valery Karpin conceded that his side had been unnerved in the first-half.

“We started nervously and flunked the first-half completely. It was one of our worst performances this season,” said the 41-year-old former Russian international.

“After the break Chelsea eased up, while we managed to overcome our fear. We looked much better but unfortunately not good enough to score.

“Of course we’d like to earn points in the meetings with Chelsea but our main group clashes will be away at Zilina and against Marseille at home.”

Chelsea made light of missing a host of first choice players, seizing the initiative from kick-off pinning Spartak back and probing the hosts’ defense.

But it was Spartak midfielder Dmitry Kombarov, who had the first clear chance in the 10th minute, but his shot from just inside Chelsea’s box went over the crossbar.

In the 14th minute Brazilan striker Welliton also tested Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech from six yards but the Czech international parried the effort with his right foot.

Chelsea replied with an attempt by Florent Malouda but his shot went wide.

However, in the 24th minute Zhirkov – formerly with CSKA Moscow – silenced the 75,000 crowd of Spartak supporters firing the ball home, with his first goal for the club, with a long distance screamer to put Chelsea 1-0 up.

Chelsea created several more chances and increased their lead through Anelka, who received Michael Essien’s pass and beat the Spartak defence on a breakaway to send the ball into the righthand post with a low shot in the 43rd minute.

After the interval Spartak attacked relentlessly but Chelsea looked comfortable, sitting on their lead and stifling the hosts forcing them into fruitless long-range shots.

In the 73rd minute Essien missed a clear chance to increase Chelsea’s lead firing just inches wide when Salomon Kalou fed him with a precise pass after a piece of good individual play.