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
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