Page last updated at 10:59 GMT, Sunday, 08 July 2007 10:59 UK
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Chelsea bounce back from Man Utd defeat
Roque Santa Cruz celebrates Chelsea's first goal.
Chelsea only made one change from the side that performed below par against Man Utd in the Charity Shield encounter. Michael Ballack made the starting line up, in place of Frank Lampard who sat on the bench. Gareth Barry started at left back again, making his Premiership debut against his former club, Aston Villa. Ashley Cole stayed put on the bench due to him still not being fully fit. Avram Grant promised goals in this match after their abysmal display in the Charity Shield.
After twenty minutes of a midfield battle, Chelsea coming out on top most of the time, Gareth Barry had a throw in on the left hand side of the field for Chelsea. He did a quick throw to Florent Malouda who lofted one in to Roque Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz' header was saved by Thomas Sorensen.
A minute later, when the ball was cleared out by Laursen, it went to Gabriel Agbonlahor. Agbonlahor was under pressure from Dani Alves and started running back his own half. Alves made the tackle and passed it on to Robinho. Robinho switched it to the other side to Malouda. Malouda made a wonderful through ball to Roque Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz powered one into the back of the net to give Chelsea the lead. Laursen was given the blame for keeping Santa Cruz onside, but it was a brilliant pass from Malouda that made the goal happen.
In the twenty fifth minute, Michael Ballack curled a left hand side corner into the box. There was a struggle in the box and Roque Santa Cruz went down. Thomas Sorensen punched the balll away from danger but Avram Grant was furious. He believed that his team should've had a penalty.
Florent Malouda was on the attack for Chelsea but lost the ball cheaply after a poor attempted pass. Malouda did not stop there though. He piled the pressure on the defence and managed to intercept the pass to Nigel Reo-Coker. He pulled the ball back from the wing to Didier Drogba just outside the box. Drogba went for the quick shot and Sorensen made an excellent save to stop Chelsea scoring a second.
Wilfred Bouma had a throw in for Aston Villa on the right hand side of the pitch in the Chelsea half. The throw in went to Ashley Young who was on the wing. Young put a magnificent ball into the box to Stiliyan Petrov was unmarked. Petrov wasted the oppurtunity but rocketing the ball miles wide. Aston Villa's first chance of the game, and a good one, wasted.
The last ten minutes of the half were the same as the first twenty. Chelsea dominated the game by holding the ball in their own half. They didn't give Aston Villa a chance and didn't risk the last ten minutes of the half by attacking again. They conserved their energy for the next knowing they were ahead comfortably.
Chelsea made one of their five subs at half time, bringing on solid attacking midfielder Frank Lampard. Michael Ballack was the man who made way for the England international.
Chelsea started the second half brilliantly. Drogba galloped down the wing but was just tackled by Martin Laursen. Laursen managed to get the throw in but it didn't do much. Robinho intercepted it and put the ball in the box. Drogba headed but was saved by Sorensen. Sorensen couldn't hold it and scrapped it away. Santa Cruz pulled it back to Florent Malouda who quickly passed it on to Frank Lampard. Lampard had the first chance of the half but wasted it. His shot was blocked by Olof Mellberg and cleared away.
In the fifty seventh minute, Stiliyan Petrov made way for Togolese Moustapha Salifou. A young fresh face to try and make an impact on a down Aston Villa side. Salifou came on and made his debut for Villa.
A few minutes later, Aston Villa made their second change. The man who was blamed for Chelsea's goal, Martin Laursen went off for another debutant, Zat Knight. Knight joined from Fulham for £3.5 million in the summer.
Another few minutes later, in the sixty sixth minute, Chelsea scored a contender for goal of the season. Full back Dani Alves made a great interception of a Aston Villa ball in the air. He got under the ball and headed it down infront of him. Alves didn't stop there. He carried on his run, nutmegging substitue Zat Knight. Alves continued and at an acute angle slotted it in the bottom left hand corner with the inside of his left foot. A brilliant goal from the Brazilian defender.
After this Avram Grant made his other two substitutions. Ashley Cole was given a run around for the last twenty minutes to get back to match fitness. He came on for an impressive Florent Malouda. Gareth Barry went up to Malouda's wing role while Ashley Cole was at the full back position.
Salomon Kalou came on for a Didier Drogba that had not been as involved in the game as Avram Grant would've hoped. Robinho took the strikers role along with Roque Santa Cruz and Salomon Kalou took the wingers job.
Wilfred Bouma had a throw in in the Chelsea half for the second time in the game. It was also Aston Villa's second attack. The throw in went to Patrick Berger's feet, and when he tried to turn with the ball he was bombarded by a brilliant Michael Essien tackle. Essien ruined his great tackle by giving the ball back to Berger. Berger tried one of his trademark long shots but Petr Cech didn't break a sweat.
In the eightyth minute, Roque Santa Cruz took Robinho's pass from the centre of the pitch and ran with the ball. He sped down the pitch, despite having three Aston Villa men on his trail. Eventually he reached the box but was in an acute angle and under pressure. His shot didn't really test Sorensen. There was no one he could pass to unfortunately. It was a brilliant run none the less.
Dani Alves was at the heart of another Chelsea attack. He made a great tackle on Aston Villa's Ashley Young and won a throw in. He took the throw in and it went to Salomon Kalou. Kalou back heeled it on to Roque Santa Cruz who quickly put it in the box. Michael Essien had the header which hit the post. It was kicked out of the box but only to Gareth Barry on the other side of the pitch. Barry ran a few metres before crossing it into the box. The cross in was unsuccessful as it was blocked by Davies.
Even in the eighty sixth minute Chelsea did not stop their attacks. Dani Alves throw in to Kalou led to a cross into the box. The cross was not the best and Robinho had to take it in an awkward position. He did the best he could and tried a half volley. Thomas Sorensen took the ball into his hands.
There were three minutes of added time, Aston Villa did not give up though. Ashley Young had a corner on the right hand side of the pitch. It curled away from Petr Cech who had run out to puch it away. Zat Knight headed it powerfully into the open goal to put Aston Villa back in the game right at the end. Could they level the game in such a short space of time?
The final whistle blew seconds after Chelsea kicked off the game again. It was a comfortable win for the blues but they would've preferred a clean sheet. A great start to their Premier League campaign. Roque Santa Cruz was named Man Of The Match after his heroic display on the field. He netted the first goal for the blues and continued to press forward and create chances all through out the game.