Chelsea were at their clinical best as first half goals proved decisive on Spartak Moscow's plastic pitch to give the Premier League Champions a 2-0 victory. This win all but seals their place in the next round of the Champions League, and whilst Spartak posed the Blues some early problems two clinical strikes put Chelsea in the driving seat by half time.
Russian Yuri Zhirkov scored his first goal for the Blues on his return to his homeland with a spectacular long-range effort in the 23rd minute.
Nicholas Anelka then slotted a second just before half-time.
Spartak came again after the break but Chelsea held firm to claim the spoils in boss Carlo Ancelotti's 100th Champions League tie.
Spartak scorers: Chelsea scorers: Zhirkov 23, Anelka 43
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium Attendance: 75,000
SPARTAK MOSCOW 81 Andrei Dikan 05 Shyeshukov 17 Suchy (yellow card) 19 Pareja 07 Ibson 15 Parshivlyuk 16 Makeev 64 McGeady 99 Kombarov 09 Ari (Ananidze 85) 11 Welliton
Substitutes 30 Pesyakov, 03 Stranzl, 06 Sabitov, 18 Ivanov, 02 Maidana, 27 Ananidze, 49 Kozlov
CHELSEA 01 Cech 02 Ivanovic 03 A Cole (Van Aanholt 87) 19 Ferreira 26 Terry 05 Essien 12 Mikel 15 Malouda (Kakuta 82) 18 Zhirkovyellow card 21 Kalou (McEachran 74) 39 Anelka
Substitutes 22 Turnbull, 38 Van Aanholt, 43 Bruma, 47 Clifford, 46 McEachran, 52 Mellis, 44 Kakuta
Need your Chelsea news fix? Click here for all Chelsea news and transfer rumours.