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Khamis, 21 Julai 2011

MALAYSIAN XI V CHELSEA



Once again Andre Villas-Boas names a side of youth and older players although in attack there is plenty of experience with Fernando Torres flanked by Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda.
There is another game for Slobodan Rajkovic in central defence and Josh McEachran and Ryan Bertrand are also handed starts.
The remaining squad are all on the bench.
Chelsea will line-up in the following 4-3-3 formation:
40 Hilario
17 Jose Bosingwa
2 Branislav Ivanovic
63 Slobodan Rajkovic
34 Ryan Bertrand
10 Yossi Benayoun
46 Josh McEachran
8 Frank Lampard (c)
21 Salomon Kalou
9 Fernando Torres
15 Florent Malouda
Subs: 1 Petr Cech, 22 Ross Turnbull, 61 Jamal Blackman, 19Paulo Ferreira, 62 Nathaniel Chalobah, 26 John Terry, 33 Alex, 38 Patrick van Aanholt, 3 Ashley Cole, 47 Billy Clifford, 12 John Mikel Obi, 18 Yury Zhirkov, 23 Daniel Sturridge, 39 Nicolas Anelka, 11 Didier Drogba.
Malaysian XI:
1 Mohd Farizal Marlias, 2 Mohd Daudsu Jamaluddin, 3 Subramaniam Sooryapparad, 4 Mohd Zubir Mohd Azmi, 5 Norhafiz Zamani Misbah, 6 Shahrulnizam Mustapa, 7 Mohd Irfan Fazail, 8 Mohd Badri Mohd Radzi, 9 Hairudin Omar, 11 Joseph Kalang Tie, 16 Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor, 17 Mohd Amri Yahyah.
Subs: Mohd Irfan Fazail, Mohd Fandi Othman, Gary Steven Robbat, Thamil Arasu Ambumamee, Mohammad Amer Saidin, Wan Zaharul Nizam Wan Zakaria, Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim, Mohd Izham Tarmizi Roslan (gk), Mohd Affize Faisal Mamat, Abdul Shukor Jusoh.
SUMMARYIt is consecutive 1-0 wins for Chelsea in pre-season as Didier Drogba's free-kick late in the second half is decisive. It was one of those did-it-cross-the-line-moments after it first hit woodwork and the keeper, the home side believing no.

Conditions were tough due to a bumpy pitch and extreme heat but Chelsea should have had more goals. Frank Lampard and Daniel Sturridge would have scored on many days.

The home team had just two chances, both badly missed and the Chelsea defence looks good. More sustained threat at the other end needs to be found but again it was different sides each half and a different role for Yossi Benayoun. Players may have longer on the pitch in Bangkok in three days' time.

The 84,980 crowd is believed to be the biggest ever official attendance for a Chelsea friendly match although it would be surpassed by the famous Moscow Dynamo match in 1945 if those that entered Stamford Bridge without paying that day are included. Those in Kuala Lumpur make a wonderful noise.
BEST MOMENTDrogba showing he is still a solid-gold match winner by both earning and converting the set-piece that separated the sides.

TEAM NEWS Starting was an unusual front three of Fernando Torres flanked bySalomon Kalou on the left and Yossi Benayoun on the right.Florent Malouda was on the left so starting captain Frank Lampard moved to a less accustomed right berth. Josh McEachran was again the deeper of the midfield three and there was a second appearance for centre-back Slobodan Rajkovic following the Wycombe game. He was paired with Branislav Ivanovic.

The second-half side was 11 different players with young Nathaniel Chalobah partnering John Terry and Billy Clifford and Yury Zhirkov both in midfield. Didier Drogba led the line with Nicolas Anelka left and Daniel Sturridge right.

The Malaysia side was most Under 23 internationals with a few senior professionals.

FIRST HALFThe wall of sound that rose many decibels when the team came out continued as the players kicked Right to Play red footballs into the crowd.

Within the first two minutes of the game there was a link-up between Benayoun and Torres, the Spaniard shooting from just outside the penalty area but the Malaysian keeper Farizal Marlias was up to the challenge and saved.

The home side pressed forward four minutes later but Bertrand with a burst of pace dispossessed their number 9, Hairudin Omar, who scored against Chelsea in this stadium eight years ago.

Benayoun, finding space off the right wing, almost slipped the right ball through to Kalou but it was just too strong and the keeper reached it first. Bertrand showed his pace getting forward after 17 minutes and although the cross was cut out, it was then gifted to Lampard who perhaps surprised by that, stabbed his shot wide from 10 yards out.

A McEachran and Kalou combination then looked to have handed Torres a clear sight of the target but full-back Subramaniam got in a vital sliding tackle.

The atmosphere continued to be immense, the majority present supporting Chelsea. An injury midway through the half brought an impromptu drinks break on a sweltering, tropical evening. Hilariohad been a total spectator.

Malaysia did win a 25th minute corner but Malouda headed away. Three minutes later Hilario saved well with his feet but Wan Nor was offside anyway.

The Blues made what looked an unscheduled change on 38 minutes with Van Aanholt coming on for Bertrand who held the back of his thigh. It was unfortunate for the England Under 21 international who had enjoyed as many good moments in the half as anyone.

Kalou crossed too high for Lampard before the Ivorian did tee up a chance for the same player who missed for a second time in the game, this time sliding onto a square pass but turning the ball wide.

The best Chelsea spell of the first half was saved for stoppage time, Benayoun unable to convert at the far post from Bosingwa's whipped-in cross, and then Van Aanholt bombing forward and taking a return pass from the Israeli but the keeper saved the young Dutchman's shot with his feet. The man between the Malaysian posts had a good opening 45 minutes.

SECOND HALFFavourite for the first attempt on goal from an all-changed Chelsea team would not have been Mikel but the Nigerian ran onto the ball and had a very worthy dig from 30-yards that flew a foot wide.

The new 11 players then struggled to put anything else together by way of an attack until Anelka showed vision to spot Terry's run from deep from the Frenchman's position way out on the left, but the low pass didn't quite reach its target.

At the other end the new back four were looking just as solid as their predecessors with Chalobah providing calm interceptions twice in three minutes.

Finally however on 67 minutes the home team had a genuine chance. The ball was given away and was knocked in behind Terry by Irfan Fazail to Syahrul Azwari but the moment got to the substitute and he blazed over.

Chelsea set-pieces looked a promising possibility against a team almost to a man shorter than the side in blue but Terry headed a Drogba free-kick over and then did the same with a Zhirkov corner moments later. Between those Sturridge should have scored.

He was given just the service he likes by Mikel, down the channel and onto his left foot. But the keeper again proved unbeatable, his last contribution before being subbed.

The goal came on 78 minutes and the free-kick that led to it was won by the scorer, Drogba caught when surging past an opponent. From out on the left his strike was sweet and when it cannoned off the post it bounced back off the diving keeper and down onto the line with plenty of spin.

The gloved hand of the substitute pulled it out and it will need a close study of TV replays to determine whether the linesman should have given the goal.

There should have been an equaliser on 84 minutes after a clever pass between the Chelsea centre-backs but Thamil Arasu wasted it, to his and his team-mates disbelief.

Unused sub Ambumamee
Attendance 84,980
Referee Subkhiddin Bin Haji Mohd Salleh
http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~2398238,00.html

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