Chelsea fail to find solace at Marseille

Chelsea travelled to Marseille here Wednesday seeking an upturn in their fortunes but it wasn’t to be as their French hosts came away with a deserved 1-0 win in this concluding ‘dead’ Champions League Group F encounter.

Aside from seeing two decent penalty appeals turned down Chelsea will find it hard to quibble with a result that saw the Londoner’s hitherto perfect first round record blemished by defeat.

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti made three changes from the side held 1-1 by Everton at the weekend, with Paulo Ferreira, Josh McEachran and Ramires starting in place of John Mikel Obi on the bench and Ashley Cole and Nicolas Anelka rested.

Gabriel Heinze, Taye Taiwo and Fabrice Abriel returned for Marseille, undone 1-0 by south coast neighbours Nice on Sunday.

At a balmy Stade Velodrome the home fans gave a warm welcome to old boy Didier Drogba, who has been relishing this return to his former club.

While Chelsea, kitted out here in lime green, were already assured of top spot in Group F Ancelotti had nevertheless called for a spirited end to their Champions League group games after watching his side win only one of their last six Premier League outings.

Yet it was Marseille who started the livelier, with France international Mathieu Valbuena only denied by Petr Cech’s crossbar in the tenth minute. Seconds later his diving header off Benoit Cheyrou’s cross from the left went narrowly wide.

Down at the other end Florent Malouda after neatly beating the offside trap, was knocked to the floor by Souleymane Diawara.

Russian referee Vladislav Bezborodov pointed to the spot but then strangely changed his mind after discussion with his linesman, awarding Chelsea a corner instead which Marseille quickly cleared.

On the half hour Drogba saw his shot from the edge of the box fly over Steve Mandanda’s overhead.

Marseille then had the ball on the back of the net, only for Heinze’s header to be ajudged offside in a decision that was, in its turn, arguably harsh on the hosts.

In a third potentially game-changing decision, Bezborodov ignored Chelsea’s logical appeals for a second penalty as half-time beckoned when Diawara floored Salomon Kalou on the left of the area.

With Chelsea’s first half performance falling short of their coach’s pre-match demand for an improved showing the Londoners were under pressure to up their game as they emerged for the second half.

And they did just that, with McEachran setting up Malouda with a lovely long ball but the Frenchman’s shot went straight to Mandanda.

On 62 minutes, Drogba was accorded a standing ovation when he came off for Daniel Sturridge with Ancelotti perhaps mindful of Sunday’s date back home with fellow Champions League group winners and London rivals, Tottenham.

Terry followed shortly after, with Jeffrey Bruma taking his place.

And it was Terry’s defence that was found wanting when Marseille broke the deadlock with nine minutes remaining, Branislav Ivanovic one of several failing to stop Marseille’s attack down the left, Taye Taiwo’s pass deflecting off Ramires with Brazil striker Brandao only having to tap the ball home from close range.

Marseille, already assured of their last 16 ticket as the group’s runners-up, ended the first round with 12 points, three behind Chelsea, with all eyes now on Friday week’s draw for the knockout stages.