Inter Milan beats Chelsea 2-1 in Champions League

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-02-25 09:17

MILAN: Esteban Cambiasso scored the winning goal Wednesday to give Inter Milan a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the round-of-16 match in the Champions League.

Inter Milan beats Chelsea 2-1 in Champions League

Inter Milan's Esteban Cambiasso (C) shoots to score against Chelsea during their Champions League soccer match at the San Siro stadium in Milan February 24, 2010. [Agencies]

Inter forward Diego Milito put his team 1-0 up in the third minute before Salomon Kalou equalized for Chelsea in the 51st.

But Cambiasso hit the winner four minutes later at the San Siro, firing a left-footed strike past goalkeeper Petr Cech after his initial shot had rebounded back to the Argentine midfielder off Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

It was Inter coach Jose Mourinho's first competitive game against Chelsea since leaving the English club in 2007.

"The most important thing was the result," Mourinho said. "Obviously it is not the best result or the best situation (to be in). The match is still open but, if you look at all the Champions League games, all the matches have been close. The result was the most positive thing about the game. The important thing for us was to win, not draw. I think everyone was expecting this type of result.

"A great thing for us is that none of our four defenders received a yellow card. Playing against (Didier) Drogba, (Nicolas) Anelka and Kalou, it is difficult not to get a yellow card. We don't have injuries and we have players back, such as (Davide) Santon and (Marco) Materazzi."

The second leg at Stamford Bridge on March 16 promises to be an emotional reunion for Mourinho and the Chelsea fans.

"I have to control my emotions and be professional, like I was today," Mourinho said. "In the tunnel, it was not a normal game for me and nor was it a normal game for them (Chelsea). At Stamford Bridge, I think people will be pleased to have me back because we had such a good time - but I will go to a different dressing room and a different bench."

Inter led when Thiago Motta slipped a pass to Samuel Eto'o, whose failure to control the ball allowed it to run to Milito and the Argentine striker swept a low shot inside Cech's near post.

Chelsea's first chance came when Kalou found space on the edge of the area in the 12th minute and forced a save from goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

Didier Drogba hit the crossbar from a free kick in the 15th, and Cesar stopped Michael Ballack's shot from the edge of the box three minutes later.

On the stroke of halftime, Chelsea thought it should have had a penalty. Kalou raced into the penalty area and appeared to be brought down by Walter Samuel, but referee Manuel Gonzalez ignored Chelsea's appeals.

"I thought it was a penalty," Chelsea manager Carolo Ancelotti said. "But it is only a penalty when the referee whistles."

Chelsea was level shortly after halftime. Ivanovic raced down the right before cutting across the Inter area and laying the ball off to Kalou, whose 22-meter shot went across a diving Cesar and inside the far post.

Inter soon reclaimed the lead - Cambiasso finding the net at the second attempt following a cross from Wesley Sneijder.

Chelsea lost Cech in the 60th when he was carried off on a stretcher with a calf injury following an easy catch of the ball.

"We have to check his condition in the next few days," Ancelotti said.

Frank Lampard squandered an excellent chance to score for Chelsea in the 65th. Nicolas Anelka linked with Drogba to send in a low cross, but Lampard hit a poor shot that Cesar blocked.

"I believed we played quite well," Ancelotti said. "At the end of the day, the result wasn't great but it wasn't so bad either. We will attack and play to win the second leg."