13/08/2003  MSK Zilina 0 Chelsea 2
 
Money may not, so it is said, buy immediate success but it can apparently still secure a place in the Champions League group stage.

That much seemed clear as Chelsea took a significant 2-0 lead in the first leg of their final qualifying round tie against MSK Zilina in Slovakia.

Then again, while six of Roman Abramovich's big-money signings made their competitive debuts in a 2-0 success, it was a striker who cost a mere £4million who made the initial breakthrough.

Eidur Gudjohnsen, whose normal strike partner Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was perhaps tellingly left on the bench, struck decisively three minutes before the break.

And the Icelandic international was the central figure responsible for then pressurising substitute Michal Drahno into an own goal with 15 minutes left.

Chelsea therefore completed an entirely professional display as they gave Abramovich the first return on his multi-million pound investment.

As with any young child, the first steps are always tentative and Chelsea's new-look team took time to find their rhythm in Slovakia.

However, record signing Damien Duff was an immediate inspiration down the left flank and the signs are all positive, especially with Adrian Mutu and possibly Claude Makelele on their way to Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich, meanwhile, had not made the journey to the relative European backwater of Zilina, the third biggest city in Slovakia.

Instead, the Russian was understood to be relaxing on a private yacht off the coast of Alaska, albeit having supposedly paid for a live television feed of the game.

The opening exchanges will not have made entirely comfortable viewing as Chelsea's new recruits found their feet, albeit against a team whose record signing cost much the same as Juan Sebastian Veron earns in a week.

Then again, Chelsea have been eliminated by relative minnows in each of the past three seasons in the UEFA Cup - St Gallen, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Viking Stavanger - and could not afford complacency.

Veron was one of five new recruits who made their competitive debuts, with Glen Johnson preferred at right-back and only Joe Cole initially left on the bench.

The most noteworthy selection decision, however, was Mikael Forssell alongside Gudjohnsen, leaving Hasselbaink on the bench with renewed question-marks over his future amid reports of a possible move to Real Betis.

Forssell was just off target with two early chances but was otherwise closely marked as Zilina held their own.

Frank Lampard squandered one clear chance as he raced onto Veron's flick and promptly slipped his shot past the far post.

However, the home side posed a danger of their own on the break, with Chris Marsden look-alike Miroslav Barcik, who was causing problems for Wayne Bridge, striking a snap-shot wide.

Where Chelsea held the key, however, was in their livewire left winger, Duff, who may have cost £17 million but shows every sign of living up to that exalted price-tag. Forssell provided the initial inspiration for the visitors' goal, exchanging passes with the Irish international before Duff scampered away and crossed low for Gudjohnsen to convert at the far post.

Chelsea survived one close call after the break, with Richard Varadin heading just over the bar when unmarked.

However, they continued to dominate in central midfield, with Lampard tireless in his efforts alongside Geremi, while Duff forced keeper Ivan Trabalik into a neat save at his near post.

The 'tinkerman' was at it again before long, with Ranieri's apparent compulsion to change his tactics meaning Forssell was replaced by Jesper Gronkjaer, with Veron moving in behind Gudjohnsen.

That 4-5-1 system is, ironically, the tactics favoured by Sir Alex Ferguson in Europe, although this time Veron was at the pinnacle of the midfield instead of Paul Scholes. Chelsea promptly upped the tempo again, with Lampard and Terry both threatening before Gudjohnsen's pressure led to defender Drahno lifting the ball over his own keeper on 75 minutes to put Chelsea further ahead.

With Cole having joined the fray, Chelsea almost increased their lead through Lampard and Geremi.

However, they were firmly in command by now and it is hard to imagine even Chelsea managing to throw this tie away now.

This, after all, is 'new Chelsea'. Abramovich can surely extend that holiday for another fortnight and wait for some enticing European action to return to Stamford Bridge.