Drogba gives Chelsea win over Ranieri's Juventus

Didier Drogba's fourth goal of the season led Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Juventus in the first knockout round of the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Ivory Coast striker finished in the 12th minute from a clever disguised pass through the middle from Salomon Kalou to give the Blues a slim advantage ahead of the return leg in two weeks and continue the Italian team's dismal record in England, where it has won just twice in 18 visits.

With Frank Lampard and John Terry the only players in the Chelsea lineup remaining from his final season at Stamford Bridge, former Blues coach Claudio Ranieri was unable to use his knowledge of his opponents to the advantage of the Juventus side he has guided to second place in Italy's Serie A.

Instead, Guus Hiddink has two wins from his first two matches as Chelsea manager.

"I'm satisfied with the result. Overall, I'm not satisfied," Hiddink said.

"In the first half, we started very good and defensively we were well organized. But after the goal we dropped back too far. We allowed some gaps between our defense and midfield and attack for Juventus to use.

"They created danger but not very open chances for the equalizer."

Ranieri was greeted by a standing ovation by the Chelsea fans who protested his removal five years ago but, despite the second-half efforts that could have easily brought his team an equalizer against last season's runner-up, that was arguably the highlight of his evening.

"I was extremely happy because it shows that they haven't forgotten me," Ranieri said. "I spent four wonderful years here. In football, people tend to forget things very quickly, so I'd like to thank them."

Juventus struggled to cope with Chelsea's speed and former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko's wayward distribution under pressure from Lampard and John Obi Mikel curtailed much of what possession the visitors did get.

Still, the two-time European champions did increase the tempo after halftime despite the 51st-minute loss of Mauro Camoranesi to a hamstring injury and can have some confidence for the second leg after the change troubled a Chelsea defense still missing the injured Ricardo Carvalho.

"I would have preferred to play less well and to get a better result," Ranieri said.

Chelsea dominated the first half in front of 38,000 fans, creating few clear opportunities but denying Juventus players the time and space they are accustomed to in Serie A.

Kalou and Drogba each had a half chance, the former shooting straight at goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon from about 20 meters (yards) and the latter heading over from close range, before the Blues took the lead.

Looking toward the right-hand touch line and with his left shoulder to goal, Kalou slipped a disguised pass straight through the middle from 30 meters (yards) out. With Lampard in the area confusing the visiting defense, Drogba helped the ball on with a firm, low shot past Buffon.

Drogba headed a corner past the post four minutes later when he should have at least got an effort on target, but while the Ivorian was thriving in a central role, Anelka was an ineffectual and peripheral figure on the left.

The Premier League's leading scorer barely linked with Drogba and spent more time picking up the ball deep than threatening in the area.

Anelka improved slightly after switching to the right in the wake of Kalou's 72nd-minute replacement by Florent Malouda but, aside from one fierce shot, looked far different to the player who has hit 21 goals in all competitions this season.

"They are disciplined in what we are asking of both of them," Hiddink said of his strikers. "It's good to have Didier in the central position."

Juventus did manage two worthy openings in the first half. Alessandro Del Piero drew a save from goalkeeper Petr Cech with a shot from inside the area and Amauri headed on the resulting corner just past the outstretched leg of Giorgio Chiellini at the far post.

Del Piero started to get frustrated and, after giving the ball away with unnecessarily fancy back heel, he fouled Jose Bosingwa as the fullback charged past him to switch play back to the other end.

Drogba missed with another header in the 50th and Cech could have handed Juventus an equalizer nine minutes later when he dropped the ball in the area and brought down Amauri in an effort to gather it. The referee waved for play to continue, as he did when Drogba twice appealed for a penalty.

Ranieri brought on David Trezeguet for the last four minutes as Chelsea hung on for a valuable victory ahead of the second leg on March 10.