toptop

Chelsea concluded their Group B campaign at the summit but they will wonder how they signed off with a 0-0 stalemate, after conjuring a raft of chances against Valencia at Stamford Bridge.

In a one-side affair Avram Grant's side extended their unbeaten home record to 50 matches but the manner in which they failed to find a win will frustrate and bewilder in equal measures.

Had Valencia raised their exertions a notch it could perhaps have been described as a practise match. Instead they sauntered in a manner that would have demeaned a park kick-around.

Shy of confidence and starved of commitment, Ronald Koeman's side showed all the appetite of a supermodel with an eating disorder.

Credit to Chelsea then for attempting to rouse a sell-out Stamford Bridge crowd, as Andrei Shevchenko and Frank Lampard both brought excellent stops from Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Canizares in the first period.

After the break, Saloman Kalou was guilty of a horrible miss in hitting the bar with the goal gaping, while towards the game's death, Joe Cole, in a bright cameo from the bench, struck the post.

No Sheva sparkle

Shevchenko starred in Saturday's victory over Sunderland but he was off the pace against the Spanish side, squandering Chelsea's best chance in the opening exchanges.

Shaun Wright-Phillips and Lampard had combined brilliantly to set him up but his stabbed shot did not have sufficient power to beat Canizares.

A poor first touch from Stephen Sunny then let Chelsea off the hook, however, and they were also thankful David Silva could not produce the killer pass his darting run into the box deserved.

Canizares came charging out of his box as Kalou raced onto a long ball, leaving him stranded, but the Ivorian blasted his cross into the stands.

Only Canizares' outstretched right hand prevented a magnificent shot by Lampard from finding the top corner in the 28th minute as the Blues continued in the driving seat.

The match desperately needed a goal and it nearly came in the 42nd minute when David Villa and Silva combined with deadly effect, only for Petr Cech to block the Spain striker's effort from close range.

Sparked by Valencia's burst, Chelsea responded by launching waves of attacks and Canizares was needed to deny Lampard, Shevchenko and Pizarro.

Missed chances

In the second period Wright-Phillips sent Pizarro through but the Peru forward scuffed his shot just as the flag went up.

Cole replaced Lampard in the 62nd minute but it was Pizarro and Kalou who split open the Valencia rearguard seconds later with a threaded pass doing the damage.

Kalou stabbed the ball into the net but the flag had gone up and Chelsea's frustration intensified when Pizarro directed a great chance straight into the arms of Canizares.

Worse was still to come, however, with Kalou missing a near open goal by directing the ball at the crossbar when it would have been easier to score.

Lightning reactions from Canizares came to Valencia's rescue in the 77th minute when Pizarro tested him, before Cole's strike beat the Spanish keeper but not the post in the last meaningful moment of the game.

Teams

Chelsea  Cech, Ben-Haim, Bridge, Ferreira (Belletti 72), Terry, Essien, Lampard (J. Cole 62), Wright-Phillips, Kalou, Pizarro, Shevchenko (Makelele 45)
Subs Not Used  Cudicini, Alex, Mikel, Sidwell
Booked 
Goals 

Valencia Canizares, Helquera, Marchena, Miguel (Fernandes 65), Moretti, Albiol, Silva, Sunday, Vicente (Garcia 75), Morientes, Villa (Arizmendi 50)
Subs Not Used Lomban, Sanchez, Mora, Zigic
Booked  Canizares
Goals 

Attendance 41,139

Referee G. Gilewski (Poland)