MOSCOW (AFP) - Arjen Robben rewarded Jose Mourinho for his first full start with a slick first half goal to hand Chelsea a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow and a place in the Champions League knock-out stages.
Chelsea's 100 percent record in Group H, extended here Tuesday to four from four with a little help from a fluffed spot kick from the Russians, has left the Londoners with an unassailable 12 point lead with two ties remaining.
Second-placed CSKA tread water on four with holders FC Porto and Paris Saint Germain in action later.
Robben starred when coming on as a second half substitute in Chelsea's 4-1 win over West Brom at the weekend and as a result found himself starting for the first time since moving to Stamford Bridge from PSV Eindhoven in the summer.
And with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and former Russian president Boris Yeltsin watching the 20-year-old teamed up with Damien Duff for a polished double act that split open the CSKA defence in the 24th minute.
Robben fed Duff the ball on the right of the box, the Irish winger neatly back heeling to the Dutch international who dummied past one defender to fire low and left into 18-year-old Igor Akinfeev's net.
Robben had also been responsible for Chelsea's only serious attempt on goal up to then, his 20m shot swerving high and right.
While CSKA were comfortably winning the corner count - 8-0 after half an hour - the London club it was who looked far more dangerous on the counter attack.
Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen went close to doubling Chelsea's lead. He had Akinfeev beaten but his shot from the right was plucked off the line by Serge Semak.
Individal flair from Brazilian striker Vagner Love almost put CSKA back level five minutes before the interval.
The 20-year-old, who has made a big name for himself in his first season in Moscow, turned Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho twice before unleashing a dangerous angled shot which was tipped wide of the left post by a diving Petr Cech.
Unfortunately for Love his solo effort came at a price as he limped off after appearing to damage his left hamstring but he returned a few minutes later.
Love had a gilt-edged chance to put CSKA back in the game in the second-half when stepping up for a penalty awarded by Italian referee Massimo De Santis after Chelsea defender Glen Johnson mistimed a tackle on Yuri Zhirkov.
But Love fluffed his lines terribly, sending the ball high over Cech's crossbar and deep into the Russian night.
Chelsea, who beat CSKA 2-0 at home a fortnight ago, have only conceded one goal in the group stages but Cech was made to earn his money as CSKA searched for the equaliser, notably when pushing away a low drive from his former Sparta Prague teammate Jiri Jarosik.
A quiet conclusion to the game was brightened up by an 84th minute bicycle kick from Jarosik, which had Cech beaten before bobbling wide of the left post and out of danger.
11/02/2004 - 19:55 GMT - AFP