Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona

Didier Drogba's strike secured Chelsea a slender 1-0 Champions League semi-final first leg lead against holders Barcelona.

The Ivory Coast international scored in first half stoppage time in the Blues' only shot on target throughout the tie at Stamford Bridge to seal a priceless victory. However, Barca will wonder how they are trailing given that they dominated possession, hit the woodwork twice and forced some good saves from Petr Cech. But Roberto Di Matteo will feel his side's impressive defensive performance warranted an element of good fortune and they will have to do it all again in the second leg at the Nou Camp if they are going to progress to the final in Munich next month. Alexis Sanchez almost put Barca ahead on nine minutes when he got in behind the defence but his effort over Cech rebounded off the crossbar and Chelsea cleared. Cesc Fabregas then wasted a golden opportunity in the 17th minute when he sliced horribly wide from close range after Cech parried a shot from Andres Iniesta. Fabregas then burst into the area on 26 minutes and forced Cech to beat away his shot at the near post, before seeing his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Ashley Cole as the clock ticked down towards half time. However, in the second minute of injury time Lionel Messi lost the ball to Frank Lampard and his inch-perfect pass played in Ramires down the left side of the Barca area. He laid the ball across the box and Drogba was on hand to rifle his effort low past Victor Valdes. Barca continued to press after the interval and Adriano forced another good save from Cech on 51 minutes, before Cole did enough to put off Sanchez from scoring after he was played in by Fabregas' chip into the Chelsea area. Cech was forced to make another fine save at full stretch in the 87th minute when Carles Puyol flicked on Messi's free-kick into the area and Thiago got the slightest of touches which sent the ball toward the bottom corner of the net. Barca launched one last attack in the final seconds of injury time as Pedro curled a low shot against the post and Sergio Busquets somehow lashed the rebound over the bar from close range.