(CNN) -- Captain John Terry ended Roma's stubborn resistance with a second-half Stamford Bridge winner to give Chelsea a 1-0 home victory and keep them on course to qualify from Champions League Group A.
Chelsea captain John Terry celebrates his goal as the London side beat Roma 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Terry headed home Frank Lampard's 77th-minute corner to keep the London side top of the table with seven points from their three matches.
Roma, struggling in Serie A, were not expected to upset Chelsea's European momentum, but they almost did so with a dogged defensive display which nearly earned them a share of the spoils.
Lampard could have given Chelsea the lead in the 21st minute of a lackluster first-half, but his effort flicked the angle of the post and crossbar.
Chelsea pressed with more urgency after the break and Salomon Kalou's firm header on the hour mark brought an outstanding save from goalkeeper Doni.
Roma were happy to settle for a point and with Francesco Totti offering a solo option in attack, the onus was on Chelsea to make the breakthrough.
That almost arrived in the 67th minute when a 20-yard shot from John Obi Mikel was deflected over the bar by Nicolas Anelka.
But the deadlock was finally broken by England captain Terry in the 77th minute when he slipped his marker and headed Lampard's corner into the net.
Lampard almost made it two in the 83rd minute but Doni reacted quickly to tip his free-kick over the bar.
Romanian champions CFR Cluj remain second in the table, despite going down to a 1-0 defeat at Bordeaux, who kept alive their qualification hopes with their first win of this season's competition.
The only goal came in the 54th minute when Yoann Gourcuff's cross from the right was turned into his own net by captain Ricardo Cadu.
Cluj, which had surprisingly beaten Roma 2-1 and drawn 0-0 with Chelsea in their opening two matches, missed a great chance to equalize with four minutes remaining when winger Juan Culio failed to head past Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame from close range.
The visitors finished the match with 10 men after Eugen Trica was sent off in the final minute as tempers became frayed at the end.
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