Ten-man Besiktas show steel

By Trevor Haylett in London

Besiktas JK inflicted Chelsea FC's first defeat since the arrival of billionaire owner Roman Abramovich as Sergen Yalçin scored twice in the first half - and the visitors held on with ten men to gain their first-ever away UEFA Champions League points.

Changed Chelsea
Chelsea made five changes to the team which beat Aston Villa FC in the Premiership at the weekend but just three alterations compared to the eleven that won at AC Sparta Praha. Manager Claudio Ranieri, for the first time this season, utilised three central defenders but left Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who had scored in each of the last five games in which he had started, on the bench. Hernán Crespo and Adrian Mutu led the attack.

Strong on the counter
Besiktas had come as "protagonists" according to their coach Mircea Lucescu, a statement that reflected their losing start in the group against S.S. Lazio, and he was true to his word, the visitors keeping two in attack themselves and looking to break strongly on the counter. Ibrahim Üzülmez gave Geremi, taking the unaccustomed position of right-back, plenty to worry about as he demonstrated his pace down the left. Sergen Yalçin used him as a frequent outlet and Besiktas settled into the game.

Eager Crespo
Crespo, eager to make an impact in front of the Chelsea supporters, was prominent early on and lifted a shot over after a smart interchange that also involved Juan Sebastián Verón and Mutu. Verón miscued after a clever one-two gave him a clear sight of goal. Then when found by Mutu, Frank Lampard lost control of the ball.

Besiktas ahead
Those misses were to prove costly as Besiktas took a two-goal lead into the interval. The first, in the 24th minute arose from a quickly taken free-kick, which led to an Ibrahim cross. Sergen Yalçin got in his shot and the ball appeared to go in off the hand of John Terry.

Lead doubled
The second followed five minutes later and proved a disaster for Chelsea's normally reliable goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini. Advancing to the edge of his penalty area to meet Óscar Córdoba's long punt, the Italian appeared in two minds whether to kick it clear or use his hands. He did neither - completely missing the ball which was then gleefully stroked into the vacant net by Sergen Yalçin.

Ilhan dismissed
Lampard missed again as Chelsea strove valiantly to repair some of the damage before the break. In first half added time Ilhan Mansiz was booked after kicking the ball away. He failed to learn his lesson and when, five minutes into the second half, he did the same thing, lofting the ball into the net long after the whistle had blown for offside, he was shown his second yellow card and took the long walk to the dressing room.

Gallas injury
At the break Chelsea had taken off Crespo and and Mutu and replaced them with Hasselbaink and Damien Duff. With Wayne Bridge an earlier replacement for Celestine Babayaro that gave Ranieri a problem when William Gallas picked up an injury. The coach told him he would have to carry on when the player indicated he wanted to come off.

Solid defending
Duff shot immediately on his introduction and Córdoba held on to the ball above his head. Verón headed wide and then Lampard, the engineer of that chance, shot into the ground when ideally positioned. Later Gallas headed just too high but Besiktas defended solidly to inflict only Chelsea's second home defeat in Europe in 40 games.