Chelsea come good in Benfica friendly

Benfica 0 Chelsea 1

Chelsea scored their second victory in as many pre-season fixtures tonight with a 1-0 win over Benfica in Lisbon.

Jose Mourinho’s team followed up Wednesday’s 5-1 defeat of League Two Wycombe with a victory over the team he managed for nine games in 2000.

An own goal from Ricardo Rocha settled this clash of the champions of England and Portugal at the Stadium of Light.

Rocha was under pressure from Carlton Cole when he diverted Arjen Robben’s cross into his own net two minutes before half-time.

Dutch winger Robben was again lively for the Blues, although Peter Cech was busy before the break in the Chelsea goal.

Cech was replaced by Carlo Cudicini for the second half – and he made a good save 15 minutes from time from Beto.

But by that stage Chelsea were unlucky not to be two goals clear, as new signing Asier del Horno’s classy left-footed free-kick struck the bar and bounced to safety off fortunate goalkeeper Moreira.

And after Hernan Crespo had almost teed up Robben, the Blues went close again in the 85th minute when Eidur Gudjohnsen and Del Horno combined to set up Jonas Elmer for a shot which Crespo just failed to turn in at the far post.

And in the first minute of stoppage time Damien Duff brought a good save out of Moreira, before scuffing the rebound wide with his right foot as the Blues finished the stronger of the two teams.