Blues Stunned By 10-Man Monaco  (Sky Sports)

AS Monaco 3  Chelsea 1

Ten-man Monaco will travel to Stamford Bridge as favourites to reach the final after edging out Chelsea 3-1 at Stade Louis II on Tuesday night.

Monaco led early through Dado Prso but were pegged back by Argentine marksman Hernan Crespo.  The home side had Akis Zikos sent off but still had enough class to edge ahead through Fernando Morientes and they secured a cushion when Shabani Nonda netted with his first touch.

Chelsea will look back on a glaring miss from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as the pivotal moment in the game, but they were simply undone by the Principality side's incisive attacking play.

Monaco started brightly and the opening goal came on 16 minutes, from a free kick which Mario Melchiot conceded for a foul on Jerome Rothen.

Rothen dusted himself down and took the set piece, which was not the best as it took a deflection. However, the deflection took the ball away from Crespo and into the path of Prso who showed great awareness to guide the ball up and over Marco Ambrosio from 10 yards.

The goal put wind into the sails of Monaco and a great cross from Prso came close to forging an opening for Morientes.

Chelsea steadily found a foothold in the game, with the industrious Frank Lampard playing a key role in the middle of the park, and they scored with their first real chance.

Scott Parker collected a cross-field ball from Jesper Gronkjaer and immediately found Eidur Gudjohnsen. The danger appeared to recede when the Icelander slipped, but he showed skill and awareness in equal measures to find Crespo and he slammed home after cushioning the ball out of his feet.

Monaco were struggling to contain Lampard and his cross from the right had just too much zip on it for Crespo, with the Argentine only able to prod wide at full stretch.

The Principality side still carried an attacking threat, despite being forced back, and it took the combined talents of Wayne Bridge and the excellent John Terry to foil Giuly as he closed in on goal.

The break aided Monaco and they attempted to catch Chelsea cold at the start of the second half, with a troika of chances coming in quick succession.

Lucas Bernardi had a shot charged down by Claude Makelele, Ambrosio made a good stooping save after Prso was given the freedom of the box and Marcel Desailly hacked Morientes' overhead kick off the line.

The whole complexion of the game changed on 53 when referee Urs Meier dismissed Zikos for violent conduct. The decision angered the Stade Louis II crowd, as Makelele seemed to dupe Meier into sending off Zikos when tumbling acrobatically a full two seconds after his tussle with the Greek international. Moments earlier, Marcel Desailly had been fortunate to escape punishment after appearing to ram his elbow into Morientes.

Monaco coach Didier Deschamps was forced to shuffle his pack, with goalscorer Prso sacrificed in favour of Edouard Cisse.

Chelsea attempted to take control, with Gudjohnsen denied by Hugo Ibarra and minutes later he saw a header from a corner loop just over the bar.

Monaco were on the back foot and Flavio Roma kept them on level terms when grabbing the ball right on the line surrounded by bodies.

Blues boss Claudio Ranieri threw on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for Mario Melchiot and the extra attacker appeared to disrupt the balance of Chelsea's play and enabled Monaco to settle.

Giuly operated as a lone attacker in the final 20 minutes and, despite having no support, the diminutive forward went close to pinching a second when tricking his way past Terry, but his shot went wide.

The game tipped Monaco's way in the 78th-minute as, seconds after Hasselbaink headed wide from close range, Monaco went forward with purpose.

Hasselbaink should have done better and he was made to pay when Giuly played in Morientes and he slammed home from the edge of the box.

Giuly had given his all and was replaced by Nonda, with the decision proving to be a tactical masterstroke as the forward netted with his first touch, although Ambrosio should have kept the effort out.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Chelsea and they will have to improve in the second leg if they are to progress.

Teams

Monaco: Roma, Evra, Ibarra, Bernardi, Giuly (Nonda 83), Prso (Cisse 57), Morientes, Zikos, Rothen (Plasil 89), Rodriguez, Givet.
Subs Not Used: Sylva, Oshadogan, Adebayor, El Fakiri.
Sent Off: Zikos (53).
Booked: Ibarra.
Goals: Prso 17, Morientes 78, Nonda 83.

Chelsea: Ambrosio, Makelele, Desailly, Lampard, Melchiot (Hasselbaink 62), Bridge, Parker (Huth 69), Crespo, Gudjohnsen, Terry, Gronkjaer (Veron 46).
Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Mutu, Cole, Geremi.
Booked: Melchiot, Makelele, Terry.
Goals: Crespo 22.

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland).