Chelsea
warmed up for the UEFA Champions League final with a 2-1 victory over relegated
Blackburn in the final game of their Premier League campaign.
John Terry and Raul Meireles, who are both suspended for next Saturday's
showdown with Bayern Munich, got on the scoresheet within three minutes of each
other in the opening half to put the final nail in a miserable season for
Rovers.
Terry burst into the box to power home a header from Romelu Lukaku's cross
before Meireles drilled into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
The visitors responded through Yakubu as he nodded home from a corner after the
break but Steve Kean's men could not complete a comeback in their final game in
the top-flight.
High note
Chelsea will be pleased to have ended their poor league campaign on a high note
in what may have been caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo and striker Didier
Drogba's final home game at the club.
The supporters made their feeling about the pair clear by chanting "There's only
one Di Matteo" and "Didier Drogba, we want you to stay", but that may not be
enough to convince billionaire owner Roman Abramovich to sign them up.
Di Matteo rested all of his likely line-up for the Champions League final, with
his other two suspended players - Ramires and Branislav Ivanovic - also
starting, while Romelu Lukaku and Sam Hutchinson made their full league debuts.
The Italian, who may need to win next weekend to keep his job, picked a team
that emphasised the dead-rubber nature of today's match, with Chelsea already
guaranteed sixth position and relegated Rovers 19th.
But there were a few players in the Blues side playing for places in Saturday's
squad, one of whom, Florent Malouda, caused chaos in the Blackburn box with a
fine cross inside two minutes.
Goalkeeper Ross Turnbull then went a little way to redeeming his performance in
Tuesday's 4-1 thrashing at Liverpool with a fine tip over from Jason Lowe's
deflected drive.
A poor touch onto a ball over the top let down Daniel Sturridge, Lukaku
misdirected a header from a corner and also failed to bundle his way past
Blackburn debutant Jake Kean as Chelsea continued to threaten.
Kean denied Lukaku again in the 20th minute with a fine save as he slid in to
convert a low cross from Sturridge, who got his header all wrong moments later
from the Belgian's cross.
Half-hearted chants of "Kean out!" were directed at Blackburn boss Steve Kean
throughout the opening quarter, with Chelsea in complete control.
A goal looked inevitable and it arrived in the 31st minute after Terry decided
to get involved in the Blackburn half before bursting into the box to power a
header from Lukaku's excellent cross into the top corner.
It was 2-0 three minutes later as Michael Essien got around the back of the
Blackburn defence far too easily before squaring for Meireles to drill into the
bottom corner from 18 yards.
Lukaku nearly set up a third goal six minutes from half-time when Kean saved
well from Ramires, who almost danced his way through moments later.
Unlike Kean, Di Matteo was enjoying vociferous backing from his club's fans, who
also applauded the arrival of Paulo Ferreira for Malouda two minutes before the
break.
Blackburn withdrew Formica for Josh Morris at the restart and the new man
arguably had their best chance when he side-footed tamely at Turnbull.
But Chelsea had already gone close again through a lovely turn and shot from
Sturridge, while Lukaku had also dragged wide.
That was the striker's final significant contribution as Di Matteo sent on
Drogba for what could be the Ivory Coast star's farewell to Stamford Bridge.
A chorus of "Didier Drogba, we want you to stay," immediately rang out at
Stamford Bridge.
Silenced
The home fans were silenced on the hour mark when Yakubu pulled a goal back,
glancing home Scott Dann's header from a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner.
Although they were almost cheering again when Ramires lifted the ball onto the
crossbar after pouncing on a loose header.
Kean tipped Sturridge's deflected half-volley wide before Fernando Torres came
on for Hutchinson, and Pedersen was withdrawn for Ruben Rochina for the final 20
minutes.
David Goodwillie arrived for Yakubu after Sturridge horribly miscued a volley,
the striker making amends with an excellent cross that just evaded Ryan
Bertrand.
Chelsea were cruising to victory, and although Bertrand was booked in the final
minute for tugging back Olsson, Sturridge should have made the game safe when he
chested wide from three yards.
Click Here For Official Team Sheet
Teams
Chelsea
Turnbull, Hutchinson
(Torres 69), Ivanovic, Terry,
Bertrand, Essien, Meireles, Ramires, Malouda (Ferreira 43), Sturridge, Lukaku
(Drogba 54)
Subs Not Used
Hilario, Cole, Romeu, Piazon
Booked
Bertrand
Goals Terry 31, Meireles 34
Blackburn Rovers
Kean, Henley, Dann, Givet, Martin
Olsson, Lowe, Formica (Morris 46), Pedersen (Rochina 70), Marcus Olsson, Yakubu
(Goodwillie 75), Hoilett
Subs Not Used
Usai, Grella, Petrovic, Modeste
Booked
Goals Yakubu 60
Attendance
40,742
Referee
L. Mason
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