Four-star Chelsea demolish Lazio
 |
Story Tools
|
ROME, Italy -- English side Chelsea stamped their authority on Champions League Group G with a 4-0 win over Serie A hosts Lazio.
Former Lazio striker Hernan Crespo started the rout on 15 minutes and Eidur Godjohnsen, Damien Duff and Frank Lampard also found the net.
Turkish side Besiktas moved into second place in the group with a 1-0 win over Sparta Prague.
Juan Sebastian Veron -- another Lazio old boy and Crespo's international teammate -- set up Chelsea's first with a freekick which Lazio keeper Matteo Sereni could only parry.
Sereni's edgy performance summed up the night for the home side, and he was also at fault for the second goal on 70 minutes, spilling Lampard's low shot into Gudjohnsen's path.
By then Lazio had been reduced to 10 men following the sending off of Sinisja Mihailovic for two fouls in quick succession on Damien Duff.
Duff added the third with a brilliant, swerving solo run and Lampard added Chelsea's fourth after Sereni could yet again only parry Gudjohnsen's shot.
But Glen Johnsen's sending off, for a second yellow card, took some of the edge off Chelsea's celebrations.
"Lazio started very strong, but we tried to play our game, pass the ball and score goals," Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri said. "I said yesterday that Chelsea must play with a winning mentality.
"Perhaps Lazio were nervous because after drawing at home with Sparta Prague and losing to us at Stamford Bridge they were under a lot of pressure."
A late goal from Brazilian defender Ronaldo Guiaro in Istanbul revived Besiktas' fortunes in the competition.
Guiaro headed into the net for the Turkish champions from playmaker Sergen Yalcin's cross.
