. : MATCH REPORT : MALAYSIAN XI 0 CHELSEA 2 : .

Posted on: Tue 29 Jul 2008

Chelsea made it 13 goals with none conceded in the pre-season tour as the Malaysians supplied the sternest test yet.

Nine months into their season, the pick of the nation's Under 23 talent plus a couple of old-hands proved capable of doing what the Chengdu Blades couldn't - making Chelsea defenders chase and the keepers save - and it took Cech to be at his best to keep out one second-half break.

The Blues goals came in each half, Nicolas Anelka continuing his good vein of form with the first and Ashley Cole netting the second from close range.
Felipe Scolari opted for a 4-3-3 starting line-up for the second game running although the full-backs were changed.

Michael Essien and Wayne Bridge, beginning his first game of pre-season were those chosen. Mikel was restored to play behind Deco and Lampard and Joe Cole was a natural replacement for Olympic-bound Salomon Kalou on the left of the front three.
Andriy Shevchenko and newly-arrived Scott Sinclair were on the bench for the first time.

The evening temperature for the kick-off was as warm as any on the tour - and that means hot, with a high humidity also, and the Kuala Lumpur fans had turned out in force to noisily enjoy the occasion. It was by far the biggest crowd of the tour so far.

They were almost given a shock as Chelsea came within a whisker of going behind with only two minutes on the clock.
Maybe the pitch, which was patchy and cutting up, played a part but a retreating Bridge, watching a crossfield pass as the ball bounced up, missed his header and was left trailing as Amirulhadi raced away and shot strongly, only to see it skim past outside of the post.

Chelsea began to steady the ship. Deco and Joe Cole combined sublimely, but Lampard couldn't bring a pass under control in time to shoot. Wright-Phillips then went on a run past two defenders but his shot was blocked at source by Aidil.

Chelsea immediately won a free-kick out wide and from Lampard's delivery, Deco produced the moment of skill of the Asia visit, thumping a volley away with power from approaching 30 yards. The keeper saved hurriedly.

Helmi, the Malaysian goalie, was in action again within seconds, blocking from Anelka but when the Frenchman's follow-up found Wright-Phillips in space, he stabbed his shot well, well over.

The Malaysian side were clearly a set-up from the Chinese teams, especially down the right where the pace of Hairuddin, a scorer against Chelsea five years ago, was capable of stretching the defence.

Chelsea too, however, were capable of breaking with pace - and that's what we did with 25 minutes on the clock for the game's first goal.
Deco and Cole again found a path down the middle and Anelka accelerated away, his shot hitting the net via a weak hand from the keeper. It was his second goal of the tour.

Wright-Phillips was the victim of a crunching foul, Fauzie, the culprit, booked after leaving the Chelsea winger needing treatment.
Norhafiz was almost guilty of finding his own net as he headed a whipped Cole cross behind.

Before the break, Malaysia threatened again on a couple of occasions with Amirulhadi, the same midfielder who nearly opened the scoring early on, shooting just past the same post.

Essien was having little problem getting forward from full-back but when he gave a pass and cut inside for the return from Cole, it was his accuracy that let him down with the first-half's final effort.
As the pre-season progresses, more players are being pushed beyond 45 minutes and Alex for Carvalho, Malouda for Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole for Bridge and Ferreira for Joe Cole (Essien moving into midfield) were the half-time changes but it has to be said the start to the second half was sloppy by Chelsea with too many wayward passes.

A second goal second steadied the ship and two subs were involved. Malouda crossed and although the ball was half-cleared, Lampard found an advanced Ashley Cole for a crisp turn and finish.

Alex unleashed a free-kick rocket that was deflected over before Cech was at his very best - racing out to stop Zaquan's shot with his feet after the Malaysian side had played the ball behind the Blue backline.
Next up to show his defensive mettle was Ferreira with a lung-busting run to make a block as the home side were breaking through.
Shevchenko was introduced with just over 20 minutes remaining, to play with Di Santo but was Essien who had a good chance to add the third but the keeper saved well.

Chelsea(4-3-3): Cech (Cudicini 64); Essien, Carvalho (Alex h-t), Terry (c) (Ivanovic 77), Bridge (A Cole h-t); Deco (Shevchenko 64), Mikel, Lampard (Sinclair 77); Wright-Phillips (Ferreira h-t), Anelka (Di Santo 64), J Cole (Malouda h-t).
Booked None
Scorers Anelka 25, A Cole 52.

Malaysia (4-1-4-1): Helmi Eliza Elias; Irwan Fadzli Idrus (Asraruddin Putra Omar 35), Aidil Zafuan Radzak (Subramaniam 82), Norhafiz Zamani Misbah, Fauzie Nan (Shafizan Hasim 65); Shukor Adan (c) (Shahril Azmi 86), Indra Putra Mayayuddin (Ashari Samsuddin 86), Hardi Jaafar (Zairo Anuar Zalani 73), Amirulhadi Zainal, Hairuddin Omar (Nizaruddin Yusof 64); Safee Sali (Zaquan Adha Radzak 52)

Booked Fauzie 29.