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LONDON: Chelsea are on the verge of booking their place in the last 16 of the Champions League after Salomon Kalou's double inspired a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Carlo Ancelotti's side may have spluttered of late in the Premier League but they are top of Group D with nine points and one more victory from their remaining three games will guarantee qualification for the knockout stages.
Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa had raised questions about Ancelotti for the first time and, with notoriously demanding owner Roman Abramovich watching from his private box at Stamford Bridge, this was the perfect response.
The west Londoners have yet to concede a goal in Europe this season and were in control well before Kalou broke the deadlock late in the first half.
The Ivory Coast striker scored again soon after the interval and Frank Lampard added a third - his first since August and pushed him one ahead of Jimmy Greaves in the all-time club scoring charts on 133 - before Luis Perea's own goal left woeful Atletico with one point from three matches and facing elimination.
Ancelotti said: "We had a very good reaction (to the Villa result) and played very well.
"We played well for 90 minutes without problems. I am happy. We are top of the group and this is what we want.
"Kalou is a very good player. He made a big mistake at the start but then he didn't lose his focus on the pitch. He scored two goals and I am happy."
Atletico boss Abel Resino added: "It's one of those bitter tastes of football. Over the game I would say we had as many clear chances as Chelsea but the ball just wouldn't go into the net.
"But I am a fighter. I am not going to throw the towel in. With one result the confidence will begin to change."
After Saturday's costly defensive lapses at Villa, Ancelotti dropped Portugal centre-back Ricardo Carvalho to the bench and brought in Branislav Ivanovic, while Kalou replaced suspended striker Didier Drogba.
Chelsea's players had held an inquest into the mistakes against Villa that condemned the Blues to just their second defeat of the season and Ancelotti's men were determined to make amends.
While Chelsea have had a recent blip, Atletico arrived in London in turmoil after winning just once in nine matches and Resino's side looked desperately short of confidence.
Diego Forlan, still derided in England for his dismal spell at Manchester United, forced Petr Cech to save when he met Simao's cross with a diving header.
Atletico goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo looked to have gifted Chelsea a goal when he allowed Lampard's free-kick to slip through his hands and into the net, but German referee Florian Meyer ruled that Kalou had fouled the keeper.
Kalou should have opened the scoring moments later but the Ivory Coast forward somehow shot wide with the goal at his mercy after Deco and Ballack carved open the Atletico defence.
Kalou has often promised more than he has actually delivered, but he was Chelsea's main threat here and broke the deadlock in the 41st minute.
Lampard played in Ashley Cole down the left wing and the England defender's low cross gave Kalou the chance to side-foot home from close-range.
Nicolas Anelka had been subdued during the first half but he sprang into life after the break and lashed in a powerful shot that Asenjo parried.
But it was Kalou who put the result beyond doubt in the 52nd minute.
Asenjo had conceded a corner by completely misjudging Belletti's throw and Kalou made him pay as he rose to nod home Lampard's deep delivery for his third goal of the season.
Lampard piled on the misery for Atletico in the 69th minute when he caught out Asenjo with a low 20-yard drive that beat the keeper at his near post.
To add insult to injury for Atletico, there was still time for Perea to head a free-kick into his own net in stoppage time.
Champions League results on Wednesday:
Group A
Bordeaux (FRA) 2 Bayern Munich (GER) 1
Juventus (ITA) 1 Maccabi Haifa (ISR) 0
Group B
CSKA Moscow (RUS) 0 Manchester Utd (ENG) 1
VfL Wolfsburg (GER) 0 Besiktas (TUR) 0
Group C
Real Madrid (ESP) 2 AC Milan (ITA) 3
FC Zurich (SUI) 0 Marseille (FRA) 1
Group D
FC Porto (POR) 2 APOEL FC (CYP) 1
Chelsea 4 (ENG) Atletico Madrid (ESP) 0
- AFP/de
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