18/10/2006  Chelsea 1 Barcelona 0
 
Didier Drogba's name echoed around Stamford Bridge again but Chelsea fans have found themselves a new hero in stand-in keeper Henrique Hilario.

Drogba scored a brilliant goal to topple European champions Barcelona and put Jose Mourinho's team in total control at the top of Group A.

The Ivorian powerhouse is in incredible form and smashed home his ninth of the season, on the turn from the edge of the box.

It was sweet revenge for Chelsea against the team who ended their own Champions League dream last season.

Mourinho's team have now won their first three matches of their European campaign and are in a strong position to go through to the knockout stages as group-winners.

Holders Barcelona, with four points from three games, have a fight on their hands to qualify, with Chelsea their next opponents in the Nou Camp in two weeks.

Hilario, in for injured keepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, kept a clean sheet on his debut and left the pitch clutching the match ball.

The spirits of Cech, watching on television from his hospital bed as he recovered from surgery on a fractured skull, must have lifted.

Third-string Hilario, 30, was rarely exposed by a superb defence.

John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho were immense in central defence but the keeper played his part with several saves, including a crucial late one from Deco.

His first touch came two minutes and 20 seconds into the game when he dashed from his line to collect a loose ball.

The home crowd gave him a big warm cheer to let him know they were right behind him.

There were trickier tasks ahead for the new 'keeper.

Edmilson's highly ambitious 45-yarder suggested the European champions planned to test Chelsea's new keeper on his debut.

Hilario saved Lionel Messi's angled drive in the 24th minute and turned a low shot from Xavi around the post on the half-hour.

Mourinho chose his most solid outfield unit to protect his keeper.

Khalid Boulahrouz was preferred to Paulo Ferreira at right-back and a powerful diamond of Claude Makelele, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack in midfield.

Barcelona were shaded first-half possession and, in their most fluent moments, cut through Chelsea.

Messi, booed by Blues fans who remember his role in Asier del Horno's red card last season, teased Ashley Cole with his pace and trickery.

Carvalho twice thwarted Messi, who played with far more menace than a subdued Ronaldinho on the Barcelona left.

Ronaldinho had little impact on events. He chipped over in the 29th minute after escaping the excellent Boulahrouz and Hilario easily saved tame free-kick from the Brazilian after the break.

But that, and a couple of clever flicks, was about it from FIFA's World Player of the Year.

Shevchenko is another world star out of form.

His goal-touch has vanished since moving to Chelsea from AC Milan and one moment, early in the game summed up his frustration.

Drogba charged onto a pass from Michael Essien and poked the ball past advancing Barca keeper Victor Valdes.

Gianluca Zambrotta stretched to stop Drogba's effort rolling into the net but was unable to get any distance on his clearance.

It spilled back into the penalty area but bounced agonisingly half a yard behind Shevchenko.

Rafael Marquez recovered swiftly to concede a corner before the Ukrainian could adjust.

Ballack squandered Chelsea's best chance of the first half when he rose unmarked to meet Lampard's corner but planted his header over.

Drogba was felled by Edmilson's trailing arm in the first half but picked himself up to open the scoring, less than two minutes after restart.

It was his ninth of the season and just as good as the stunner which beat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, last month.

He controlled a pass from Cole, turned Carles Puyol and unleashed a fierce drive past Valdes.

Drogba's strike opened the game up and Chelsea seized control and finished strongly.

Shevchenko had a glorious opportunity to double the lead in the 55th minute.

Lampard's first-time pass produced the opening but Shevchenko fired wide.

The Ukrainian can seem to do nothing right at the moment.

He broke down the right, moments later, but pulled his cross too far back.

Then he sprang offside as Lampard slipped another pass through the Barca defence into his path.

Mourinho ended his misery, 14 minutes from time, when he replaced him with Arjen Robben.

Frank Rijkaard had made changes as Barca chased the game, hauling off Eidur Gudjohnsen on his first return to Stamford Bridge.

Messi went close with a header and the Chelsea defence absorbed a lot of pressure late in the game but Hilario's clean sheet stayed intact.