Chelsea have only themselves to blame

SOCCER/Fenerbahce 2 Chelsea1:CHELSEA HAVE only themselves to blame. Having walked tall in one of Europe's footballing cauldrons, they had the opportunity to move this quarter-final tie beyond the reach of Fenerbahce, the exciting if slightly raw champions of Turkey.

Having forged ahead through an own-goal from Deivid, they had a fistful of first-half chances to become unassailable.

Yet dreams turned into nightmares in the second half as an equaliser from Kazim Kazim, better known to English audiences as Colin Kazim-Richards, formerly of Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United, was followed by a strike-in-a-million from Deivid that more than made amends for his earlier aberration.

As Carlo Cudicini clutched at thin air and felt the top corner of his net swell from 25 yards, Chelsea realised that next Tuesday's return leg at Stamford Bridge will be fraught with peril.

Avram Grant's team had not conceded a Champions League goal in their previous six ties, but the introduction of Kazim as a second-half substitute changed the complexion of the evening. The 21-year-old Londoner put the sparkle into his team on a memorable night for his adopted nation and Deivid's blockbuster has them dreaming of the seemingly impossible.

Grant says that he "will not rest" until he takes Chelsea to the Champions League final. Sleepless nights loom.

Grant had sprung a surprise by playing Florent Malouda for the first time since the FA Cup debacle at Barnsley last month and the move brought an immediate dividend. After Frank Lampard had stepped over an Ashley Cole ball in from the left flank, Malouda sized up his crossing options. He opted to strike hard and low and there followed a horrible moment for Deivid, the highly-rated Fenerbahce midfielder. He jabbed out his right foot and, before he could pull it back, he had sent the ball skidding past his helpless goalkeeper Volkan Demirel at the near post.

It was the prompt for Chelsea to take a stranglehold on the first half. But for the woodwork and Volkan's reflexes, they could have gone further ahead.

Michael Essien advanced from his unfavoured right-back role to clip the top of the crossbar from 25 yards, and, after Didier Drogba had powered a header wide, the Ivorian striker rolled Gokcek Vederson and lashed high for the near top corner. Volkan turned smartly behind.

Just before the half-time whistle, Drogba hared onto Michael Ballack's through-ball and was only denied by Volkan's bolt from his penalty box.

Fenerbahce failed to test Carlo Cudicini in the Chelsea goal during the first half and, given their away form in Europe, it was imperative that they turned the tide in the second period. They finally mustered an attempt of note when Onder Turaci crossed after neat build-up for Alex to glance a header wide.

The Fenerbahce fans bounced back to maximum volume and their team sensed a foothold. A promising period featured Mateja Kezman, the lone striker playing against his former club, sending an overhead kick at Cudicini.

Chelsea still carried menace, particularly on the counter-attack as their hosts stretched themselves in search of parity. Lampard and Ballack were prominent throughout, their passing high on assurance, and when the former fed the latter on the right-hand edge of the area, Volkan needed to beat away a fierce drive. Volkan would also deny Ballack on 67 minutes.

But Fenerbahce got the goal the supporters craved and the strike was nothing short of a fairytale for Kazim. He fastened on to a pass from Mehmet Aurelio and left Ricardo Carvalho in his wake, to crash a left-footed finish past Cudicini.

FENERBAHCE:Demirel, Turaci, Lugano, Edu Dracena, Wederson, Maldonado, Aurelio, Boral (Kazim-Richards 54), Deivid, Alex, Kezman (Senturk 72). Subs not used: Kulbilge, Cakmak, Aslan, Bilgin, Sahin.

CHELSEA:Cudicini, Essien, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Makelele, Joe Cole (Anelka 85), Ballack, Lampard (Obi 76), Malouda, Drogba. Subs not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, Alex.

Referee:Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark).