CHELSEA SECURED TOP spot in Group E of the UEFA Champions League with a routine 1-0 victory over Steaua Bucharest at Stamford Bridge.
Despite suffering a second defeat to Basel on matchday five, Jose Mourinho’s men were already assured of a place in the last 16 and had little trouble in seeing off limited opposition.
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Demba Ba’s 10th-minute strike from a Willian corner surprisingly proved the only goal as Chelsea demonstrated little desire to move in for the kill thereafter.
Gabriel Iancu spurned a golden opportunity for the visitors three minutes after Ba’s opener, but Steaua were generally kept at bay with a degree of comfort.
In failing to record victory for a 23rd Champions League game in succession, the Romanian outfit set a new record for the longest winless run in the competition.
Their European campaign is over for another season, while Chelsea will be aware far sterner tests await when the knockout stages commence in the new year.
Veteran Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer replaced the rested Petr Cech to become the Champions League’s oldest debutant – and second-oldest player – at the age of 41 years and 66 days.
Mourinho also recalled Ashley Cole for his first club start since November 2, while David Luiz and Oscar returned from injury against a Steaua side missing suspended captain Alexandru Bourceanu.
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Luiz and Oscar each went close before Chelsea took the lead.
A right-wing corner from Willian was flicked on by Oscar and Ba bundled the ball home as Daniel Georgievski attempted to clear.
Iancu should have levelled three minutes later, only to drag his shot wide after being put through one-on-one with Schwarzer.
There was little else to concern a dominant home side, who came close to scoring again when Ciprian Tatarusanu made a point-blank save to keep out Branislav Ivanovic’s 27th-minute header.
Steaua’s Pantelis Kapetanos and Chelsea midfielder Lampard missed the target with long-range efforts prior to the interval, while an ambitious effort from Cole brought a comfortable save from Tatarusanu.
A delightful Willian cross left Ba with a seemingly simple tap-in eight minutes into the second period, but the Senegalese forward clumsily cleared the crossbar with his finish.
Chelsea appeared content to operate at virtual walking pace thereafter, although another opportunity went begging in the 71st minute when Eden Hazard headed over following good work from substitute Andre Schurrle.
While entertainment may have been in short supply as the game meandered towards its conclusion, Mourinho will doubtless have been pleased to see his side keep a clean sheet after conceding three in each of their last two domestic fixtures.
Group H
Milan, meanwhile also reached the last 16 by holding Ajax to a goalless draw despite playing much of the game with 10 men.
Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo was sent off for a lunge on Christian Poulsen after only 22 minutes at San Siro, but Ajax were unable to secure the victory they needed to progress from Group H.
Poulsen was denied by the post before Montolivo saw red and Serie A outfit Milan dug deep with a dogged defensive display to secure second place behind Barcelona.
Ajax were totally dominant but failed to make the most of their numerical advantage as they missed a golden opportunity to reach the last 16 for the first time in eight years and were forced to settle for a UEFA Europa League spot.
Fit-again Milan striker Stephan El Shaarawy made his first start since August, while right-back Mattia De Sciglio also returned in one of five changes made by Massimilano Allegri.
Poulsen, Bojan Krkic and Stefano Denswil all came in for Ajax, who started brightly and nearly took the lead in the fourth minute.
Manager Frank De Boer insisted the Eredivisie champions had nothing to lose at the San Siro and they were only denied by the woodwork as Poulsen’s glancing header struck the far post from a Lasse Schone corner.
Ajax were brimming with confidence and recalled Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati got down well to tip Davy Klaassen’s header around the near post.
Milan’s hopes of progressing to the last 16 then suffered a major setback when Montolivo was given his marching orders by referee Howard Webb for a reckless late challenge on Poulsen.
Allegri was forced into a reshuffle as a result, as El Shaarawy’s comeback was short-lived, with Andrea Poli replacing him in a bid to bolster Milan’s midfield.
De Boer replaced defensive midfielder Poulsen with striker Danny Hoesen at the break and the visitors piled on the pressure at the start of the second half, with Viktor Fischer firing over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.
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Klaassen then fired straight at a grateful Abbiati from 20 yards out as Ajax continued to probe and the tension mounted.
Abbiati was called into action again after 65 minutes to save with his feet to keep out Fischer’s drilled right-foot strike after some lovely build-up play.
Klaassen spurned a great chance when he scuffed a shot wide of the far post 17 minutes from time as Ajax’s frustration built and Denswil fired wide in a feisty finale.
Then midfielder Klaassen was narrowly off target with the last kick of the game as a gutsy Milan side stood firm on a frustrating night for the Dutch giants.
