Sparta Prague v Chelsea

Sparta Prague 0

FT 90 +4
HT 0-0

By Aimee Lewis BBC Sport

Substitute Oscar scored the only goal in an uninspiring match as Chelsea started their Europa League campaign with victory against Sparta Prague.

Oscar, combining nicely with Eden Hazard, found the bottom corner within 45 seconds of coming off the bench.

The visitors created little but, with the second leg at Stamford Bridge, are in prime position to progress.

The best chances fell to Sparta's David Lafata in the first half, but the striker shot high on both occasions.

A workmanlike performance in the Czech capital ensures the Blues remain on track to become the fifth club (following Bayern Munich, Ajax, Juventus and Barcelona) to complete the sweep of Europe's main trophies.

Chelsea had already created history by becoming the first defending champions to tumble out of the group stages of the Champions League, but goalkeeper Petr Cech called on his team-mates to again ensure the club made an imprint in the annals of European football.

The visitors did not give the impression of a team which had been galvanized by their goalkeeper's talk of history making though.

Chelsea have now scored in all but one of their last 21 European games. (via Opta)
Oscar's winning goal was the Brazilian's sixth goal in seven games in European competition this season. (via Opta)

Hazard and Marko Marin posed problems down either flank in a low-key opening, but Chelsea lacked bite in the final third and the longer the first half progressed the more content the Londoners were to concede possession to the home team.

It was a dangerous ploy and one which would perhaps have caused the fit again John Terry to shuffle uneasily alongside fellow substitute Ashley Cole on the bench.

Sparta, playing their first competitive match since December because of their winter break, blew off the cobwebs when Ladislav Krejci's cross found Lafata. The stretching striker should have put his team ahead but instead sent his effort off target.

The January signing had a chance to make amends when a ricochet inside the box confused the visitors and bobbled his way - but the Czech's radar once again faltered as he dragged his effort wide from six yards.

Two long-distance strikes from captain Frank Lampard and a toe-poke from the ineffective Fernando Torres posed the biggest tests to Tomas Vaclik in the first half, and the goalkeeper had even fewer causes for concern after the break.

A lacklustre Chelsea, top scorers in the group stages of the Champions League, were sloppy in possession, with routine passes regularly finding a maroon-shirted player, and created little.

Other than a half chance for Torres, the only striker available to manager Rafael Benitez because Demba Ba was ineligible, and a tame Lampard header, Chelsea had little to show for nearly 80 minutes of toil.

And until Benitez chose to replace Juan Mata with Oscar it seemed the match would end goalless.

But the lively Brazilian played a cute one-two with Hazard on the edge of the box and raced ahead to place the ball low into the bottom left corner of the net.

It was a strike which ended Sparta's 11-match unbeaten home run in the competition and gave the Londoners a precious away goal ahead of next Thursday's second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea caretaker manager Rafael Benitez: "Eighteen attempts away is not bad, but we have to be more clinical in attack. The first 20 minutes we were in control. We had some half chances; it was a cross, we weren't there. We were in control.

"After this 20 minutes they were pushing and pushing. The team, as a team, had problems defending.

"We changed a little bit in the second half. I think the concentration of the team was much better, the intensity in defence was much better and then we had more control."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Sparta Prague

31 Vaclik
04 Svejdik
19 Hybs
20 Zapotocny
08 Matejovsky
22 Husbauer Booked (Bednar - 85' )
23 Krejci (Pamic - 81' )
25 Mario Holek
33 Vacha
10 Lafata (Leonard Kweuke - 76' )
14 Kadlec

Substitutes

01 Cech
24 Vidlicka
27 Polom
32 Janos
03 Pamic
11 Leonard Kweuke
29 Bednar

Chelsea

01 Cech
02 Ivanovic
24 Cahill Booked
28 Azpilicueta
34 Bertrand
07 Ramires
08 Lampard
10 Mata (Oscar - 81' )
17 Hazard
21 Marin (Benayoun - 68' )
09 Torres

Substitutes

22 Turnbull
03 Cole
19 Ferreira
26 Terry
11 Oscar
30 Benayoun
57 Ake

Ref: Daniele Orsato

Att: 18,952

Match Stats

Possession 48 52

Shots

9 14

On target

3 9

Corners

3 3

Fouls

6 12

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:01 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

88:51

Effort from just outside the box by Nascimento Ramires goes over the bar.

85:58

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Marek Matejovsky by Nascimento Ramires. Free kick taken by Marek Matejovsky.

85:58

Foul by Nascimento Ramires on Marek Matejovsky, free kick awarded. Marek Matejovsky takes the direct free kick.

84:33

Corner taken by Marek Matejovsky from the left by-line, Header from deep inside the area by Ondrej Svejdik goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

84:21 Substitution

Substitution Roman Bednar joins the action as a substitute, replacing Josef Husbauer.

83:08

Fernando Torres takes a shot. Fantastic save by Tomas Vaclik. Inswinging corner taken by Emboaba Oscar from the left by-line.

81:42

Assist on the goal came from Eden Hazard.

81:42 Goal scored

Goal - Emboaba Oscar - Sp Prague 0 - 1 Chelsea Emboaba Oscar finds the back of the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Sparta Prague 0-1 Chelsea.

80:33 Substitution

Substitution Emboaba Oscar joins the action as a substitute, replacing Juan Mata.

80:33 Substitution

Substitution Ladislav Krejci goes off and Manuel Pamic comes on.

80:14

Leonard Kweuke produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

78:18

Ladislav Krejci crosses the ball, save made by Petr Cech.

75:20 Substitution

Substitution Leonard Kweuke on for David Lafata.

75:00

Ondrej Svejdik fouled by Eden Hazard, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ondrej Svejdik.

73:12

The ball is delivered by Matej Hybs, save made by Petr Cech.

70:45

Shot by Fernando Torres from just outside the area goes over the net.

69:47

Frank Lampard takes a shot. Save by Tomas Vaclik.

67:12 Substitution

Substitution Yossi Benayoun replaces Marko Marin.

66:23

The ball is delivered by Juan Mata, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Fernando Torres goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

66:23 Booking

Booking Josef Husbauer goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.