LOKOMOTIV 1 CHELSEA 1 (PENS 5-4)

Chelsea lost a second consecutive game in Moscow on penalties against Lokomotiv after taking an early lead.

With the Champions League Final defeat to Manchester United still relatively fresh in the memory, there was more shootout woe for Luiz Felipe Scolari's men.

Michael Essien had given Chelsea a first-half lead before substitute Ruslan Kambolov equalised with a superb late free-kick

It was a speedy return to Moscow after Champions League disappointment in May, and an opportunity to continue a promising pre-season run with another victory after 13 goals scored and none conceded in the opening three games.

Paulo Ferreira and Ashley Cole came into the starting eleven in the full-back slots, at the expense of Wayne Bridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Essien was moved forward to an unfamiliar right-wing role.

There was a notable first as the team sported the new black away kit, a return to a colour theme sported in previous seasons.

Chelsea started well with slick passing moves, and it was the advanced Essien who had the game's opening chance. Deco and Nicolas Anelka combined to tee up the Ghanaian on the volley, but he fired over when the target should have been found.

The Lokomotiv crowd was in fine voice, having earlier been treated to Sevilla edging out AC Milan 1-0 in a tight encounter, after a Gennaro Gattuso own goal.

On the quarter-hour mark a Chelsea corner taken by Deco fell to Frank Lampard just inside the area, but his curling effort was just too high.

So far Lokomotiv had shown little to worry Luiz Felipe Scolari's men, who were dominating possession and territory.

As the manager likes, both full-backs were attacking, with Ferreira linking up well with Essien on the right, and it was these two players at the centre of the action as the Blues took the lead.

The Portuguese got wide down the flank, playing in Deco who crossed to Anelka. The Frenchman chested down and Essien was on hand to rifle the ball home from the edge of the area on his left-foot.

It was a typical Essien strike, and seemed to justify Scolari's gamble in placing him in that position.

Five minutes later Deco and Lampard combined at a corner like in Malaysia, with the Englishman perfectly flighting a corner into his team-mate's path, 25 yards from goal.

Unlike at the Shah Alam stadium, Deco just missed the target, but the craft was still impressive, and perfectly representative of his contribution since signing.

Eight minutes before the break Mikel was booked for bodychecking Draman when Lokomotiv made a rare break, and could have little complaint.

It seemed to briefly spur the home side, but Chelsea's extra strength and quality soon shone through again, comfortably seeing the game through to half-time.



Scolari made two substitutions at the break, as Malouda and Wright-Phillips were introduced into the attack and Essien reverted to the midfield holding role. Mikel and Joe Cole made way.

Lokomotiv came out with renewed vigour and forced two early corners, the first coming as Essien lunged to prevent a cross reaching the goal area.

At the other end, Malouda swung in a free-kick that Pelizzoli punched clear as far as Wright-Phillips, who cleverly created space before shooting on his left. The effort was deflected just wide.

Chelsea were in complete control again as Anelka Ricardo Carvalho both headed off target.

Anelka should have doubled the lead with a quarter of the game remaining, when Lampard squared the ball six yards out. With a simple finish, the 29-year-old somehow struck his shot straight at Pelizzoli, and the Russians could clear.

It was to be Anelka's last major action, as he was replaced by Andriy Shevchenko 15 minutes from time. The Ukrainian's reception was rapturous, emphasising his popularity in this part of the world.

Deco opted to shoot from a free-kick 40 yards from goal, and Pelizzoli had to be alert to keep hold of his powerful strike.

Shevchenko had a half-chance, rising highest from Malouda's cross, but his effort was wayward, and then Wright-Phillips blazed over shortly afterwards and it looked as though a second goal wouldn't be coming, not that it appeared to be needed.

Typically, that was when Lokomotiv decided to strike, and some strike it was as substitute Ruslan Kambolov rocketed a free-kick in off a post from 25 yards, giving Petr Cech little chance.

It was the first goal conceded under the Scolari regime, and Cech looked particularly disappointed having virtually been a spectator all game.

Lokomotiv came forward again as Minchenkov found space after clever work from Mugiri, but his shot from distance was some way wide.

There seemed a renewed hope within Central Stadium as the home fans sensed an unlikely win.

A second chance presented itself for Minchenkov as Chelsea overplayed at the back, but this time Cech held easily.

At the other end Malouda volleyed wide as penalties loomed, a scenario a few Chelsea players would have had little appetite for, yet there were no goals and it would be a shootout to decide who would play Sevilla in the final on Sunday.

Lokomotiv went first and Cech dived to his left to save Bilyatedinov's kick. Lampard fired low to give Chelsea the advantage.

Emir Spahic sent an unstoppable shot into the top corner, followed by Deco sending Pelizzoli the wrong way.

Glushakov, Wright-Phillips, Cocic and Essien all converted, meaning Mugiri had to score to keep Lokomotiv in it.

After a slight delay he fired home straight down the middle.

Bridge could win it for Chelsea, but he fired at a comfortable height, and Pelizzoli dived to his left to palm the ball away. It was like the Luzhniki Stadium all over again.

Kambolov scored the first of sudden death, and then Shevchenko the fans' darling, saw his kick saved by the boot of the Italian goalkeeper, meaning two consecutive games in Moscow had been lost by the shootout.

There was little heartache this time, but no memories of May had been banished.

We now meet Milan in the third place playoff match on Sunday. It will be live on Chelsea TV.

By Andy Jones

Lokomotiv (4-4-1-1): Pelizzoli; Yanabev, Spahic, Rodolfo (Sennikov 80), Fininho (Kambolov 71); Draman (Cosis 77), Hurenka, Glushakov, Bilyatedinov (c); Torbinskiy (Mugiri 81); Traore (Minchenkov 55).



Goals Kambolov 84

Penalties Bilyatedinov missed, Spahic scored, Glushakov scored, Cocis scored, Mugiri scored, Kambolov scored

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole (Bridge 64); Deco, Mikel (Wright-Phillips h-t), Lampard; Essien, Anelka (Shevchenko 75), J Cole (Malouda h-t).



Goals Essien 26.

Penalties Lampard scored, Deco scored, Wright-Phillips scored, Essien scored, Bridge missed, Shevchenko missed.

Booked Mikel 37