Blues romp to a win
Nineteen-year-old Franco Di Santo scored on his debut as Chelsea kicked off the Luiz Felipe Scolari era with a 4-0 romp against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical on Wednesday.
Di Santo slid in on 78 minutes after Salomon Kalou's first-half opener and Frank Lampard's sublime lob had left the Chinese Super League side on the ropes. Shaun Wright-Phillips wrapped up the scoring in the dying minutes.
It was the perfect start for World Cup-winning coach Scolari, tasked with re-stocking the Chelsea trophy cabinet.
The London side went close early on through Lampard, Michael Essien and the lively Nicolas Anelka, who was saved from close range after a one-two with debutant Deco.
As another new signing, Jose Bosingwa, trudged off with a thigh strain after just 20 minutes, Kalou latched onto a diagonal ball to plant the opener past Guangzhou 'keeper Li Shuai.
Essien twice forced Li into action and Anelka teed up Lampard's weak shot before rattling the right post with a powerful drive as the visitors threatened to run riot.
But Guangzhou found a way through the one-way traffic and Petr Cech was forced into a smart stop, parrying Xu Liang's near-post free-kick against the woodwork on the stroke of half-time.
Substitute Wayne Bridge hit the post early in the second term before Lampard brought the crowd to its feet with his classy chip from 20 yards.
Young Argentine Di Santo, who had already hit the post after replacing Anelka at half-time, met Malouda's cross at the far post as he marked his debut with a goal on 78 minutes.
Wright-Phillips, who has been linked with Portsmouth, scored from Wayne Bridge's cross with two minutes left.
Andrei Shevchenko missed the match with an unspecified knock and Joe Cole was rested with an ankle injury. Deco lasted 62 minutes and there was also a run-out for Branislav Ivanovic.
Scolari, the ex-Portugal boss who took Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, starts the job under no illusions about the expectations of billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
His immediate predecessor Avram Grant was sacked despite taking Chelsea to their first Champions League final and finishing just two points behind Manchester United in the Premiership.
Scolari has also been welcomed with a broadside from Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson, who suggested his squad were too old to reach new heights.
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