Villas-Boas begins with a win

New manager Andre Villas-Boas used 23 players in his first game in charge, a behind-closed-doors clash at the Blues' Cobham training ground. Benayoun opened the scoring after four minutes, controlling an awkward dropping pass before clipping it over goalkeeper Nikki Bull. Bull made good saves to deny first the Israel playmaker and then striker Didier Drogba before defenders John Terry and Jose Bosingwa both went close. It remained 1-0 at the interval but a new-look Chelsea line-up quickly doubled their lead, Nicolas Anelka setting up Torres to sweep the ball past Bull, who moments earlier had denied the Spaniard after a similar link-up with his strike partner. Defender Slobodan Rajkovic, back from a season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in Holland, volleyed home a fine third goal from Yury Zhirkov's corner. Anelka went close on three occasions before Salomon Kalou curled a shot against the upright, and a late Torres effort was then blocked.