18/10/2001  Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 Chelsea 0
 
Chelsea had Mario Melchiot sent off early in the second 
half and then crashed to two late goals as their 
much-publicised trip to Israel ended in defeat.

The Blues' fears over their safety on this visit to the 
Middle East, which resulted in six players opting out, proved 
unfounded.

Instead, all their troubles came on the field from their 
lively hosts, who attacked them from the first whistle and 
gained two vital, and deserved, goals to take to Stamford 
Bridge for the second leg in a fortnight.

Dutch defender Melchiot was shown a straight red card for 
an off-the-ball incident after 52 minutes which was spotted by 
the referee's assistant.

The 10 men held out until two minutes before the end when 
John Terry handled a cross and Israeli international defender 
Shimon Gershon crashed home the penalty.

And things went from bad to worse three minutes into injury 
time. Seventeen-year-old centre-half Joel Kitamirike - handed 
a debut because four of the six absentees were defenders - 
made a mistake which allowed Yossi Abuksis to cross from the 
right and striker Sergei Kleschenko score with a header which 
went in off the far post.

It was rough luck on Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, 
who had an outstanding debut before being beaten by two goals 
he could do nothing about.

Chelsea started the night looking unfamiliar in shirts 
without the name of their sponsors, Emirates Airlines, as it 
had been felt that the logo might cause offence to their hosts 
in light of the current fragile political climate in the 
Middle East.

A minute's silence was held as a mark of respect following 
Wednesday's assassination of Israel's Minister for Tourism, 
Rehavam Zeevi, then it was time to forget all the tension of 
the build up to the game and play football.

The home crowd may have been disappointed that six Chelsea 
stars opted out of the trip here because they feared for their 
safety, but it did not stop them from providing a colourful 
and noisy atmosphere.

Spurred on by this support, the Israeli team took the match 
to Chelsea from the kick-off. 

In the opening seconds, right wing-back Ilan Bachar burst 
into the box and got behind Celestine Babayaro, but his 
control let him down and the ball ran behind for a goal kick 
before he could get in a cross.

There was a brief scare for Chelsea after 11 minutes when 
play-maker Abuksis played an inviting ball over the top for 
Milan Ostrec to chase, but Bosnich plucked it to safety on the 
edge of his box. 

Bosnich had finally made the team for the first time since 
his free transfer from Manchester United in January. He 
replaced Carlo Cudicini, who has a back injury, and this was 
his first competitive for 18 months when he played for United 
against Sunderland in the Premiership.

Terry came to the rescue after 19 minutes. Abuksis played a 
great ball into the path of Kleschenko but the England 
Under-21 skipper blocked his shot with a fine tackle.

Moldovan Kleschenko was then only narrowly off target with 
a shot from 20 yards a minute later.

A positive run from Zenden - who picked up his second 
caution of the competition moments earlier - earned a free 
kick after 37 minutes following a challenge by Gabor Almai.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink curled a low free kick from 25 
yards around the wall, but the Blues' first shot on target was 
comfortably gathered by the goalkeeper.

The tempo of the game was raised dramatically after 52 
minutes when Chelsea had Melchiot sent off following an off 
the ball incident.

The Dutch defender lashed out with a kick at Israeli 
international Gershon and although referee Dick van Egmond 
missed the incident, he was informed of the offence by his 
assistant and brandished a red card.

Melchiot, who is Chelsea's third player to be shown a red 
card this season after Frank Lampard and Hasselbaink, faces a 
two match ban as a result.

Chelsea re-organised by replacing Zenden with Sam Dalla 
Bona after 55 minutes, and ironically livened up. After 59 
minutes Lampard fired into the side netting at the end of a 
good run down the right.

Hapoel hit back, however, and Bosnich made an important 
save after 62 minutes, diving in front of Milan Ostrec on his 
six-yard line and saving with his legs.

Chelsea escaped again when Kitamirike and Bosnich got in a 
muddle, but the defence recovered to crowd out any follow 
ups.

Bosnich produced more heroics after 74 minutes with a 
brilliant save to beat away an effort from Kleschenko, and he 
also kept out the follow-up from Ostrec.

Chelsea held out until two minutes before the end, when 
Terry handled a cross from Bachar as he slid on the floor, and 
skipper Gershon crashed home the penalty.

It went from bad to worse as Kleschenko scored with a 
header off the post three minutes into injury time, leaving 
the Blues with a mountain to climb in the return leg in a 
fortnight.