Kalou double sees Chelsea go second

A pair of goals from Salomon Kalou saw Chelsea to a comfortable 2-0 win over Middlesbrough and second spot in the table on a soaking wet Wednesday at Stamford Bridge.

The Ivory Coast striker netted in the 58th and 81st minutes to ensure the Blues condemned relegation candidates Boro to an 11th consecutive league game without a win.

Victory for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side saw them close to within two points of league leaders Manchester United and ahead of Liverpool on goal difference after the Merseysiders were held 1-1 at Wigan Athletic.

Chelsea travel to Anfield on Sunday for a summit meeting with their title rivals and Scolari will be confident after seeing his side notch up their fourth straight victory in all competitions.

Captain John Terry returned to the Blues’ defence following a back injury while midfielder John Obi Mikel, suspended for the FA Cup win over Ipswich on Saturday, replaced Juliano Belletti, who was ruled out through illness.

Centre-back Ricardo Carvalho missed the game with a hamstring strain sustained during the weekend’s fourth round victory while Didier Drogba was left on the bench again.

Brazilian frontman Afonso Alves lost his place in Boro’s attack to debutant striker Marlon King, who joined on loan from Wigan last week.

Chelsea looked threatening from the start and a promising run by Kalou after six minutes saw the Ivorian beat two tacklers before being muscled off the ball in the box.

Boro’s Mohamed Shawky was booked three minutes later for a scything challenge on the rampaging Florent Malouda, who then had his appeals for a penalty turned down after being tackled late in the box.

Chelsea’s best chance of the half came when Jose Bosingwa found Ashley Cole at the back post in the 13th minute, but the England left-back could only send his downward header into the side netting.

Michael Ballack’s curling free-kick three minutes later was parried well by goalkeeper Ross Turnbull before Boro began to get a foothold in the game through some intelligent passing of Stewart Downing.

Kalou headed just over from a Frank Lampard corner in the 36th minute as Chelsea continued to squander their openings.

Scolari let his frustrations show just before the break when Shawky escaped a second booking for handling the ball, leading to an angry exchange between the Blues boss and Boro’s assistant manager Malcolm Crosby.

Drogba was brought on for Malouda at the interval and the 30-year-old frontman immediately worked an opening before screwing his shot across goal.

The Blues almost had their lead in the 55th minute but Kalou could only deflect Alex’s goalbound header from a Ballack knockdown over the crossbar.

The striker made amends in emphatic fashion three minutes later when he lashed home from David Wheater’s attempted clearance from a Lampard corner which fell to him eight yards out.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate brought Alves on for King and Tuncay for Shawky in the 64th minute but Chelsea should have killed the game off five minutes later when Anelka broke clear on the right only for Lampard to mishit his low cross wide.

Kalou finally wrapped up the points when Turnbull missed a Lampard cross from the left and the striker nodded in from six yards, nine minutes from the end.