It was understood that Chelsea, with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, would not treat this step into the quarter-finals as a grand moment in the Champions League but the insipidness still came as a surprise. Fernando Torres added to the occasion merely by having a shot saved when he came off the bench. If Chelsea lacked motivation, the keenness of the visitors was laudable even if there was restricted creativity.
Despite the seeming irrelevance of the match, Copenhagen began as if all their hopes were intact. Without that sort of competitiveness they would not have got even this far in the tournament. It would have been galling, too, that they had gone into the first game with Chelsea while lacking competitive match practice because of a mid-season break. Their exertions at Stamford Bridge, however, seemed also to enliven their opponents.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have, in any case, begun to feel better about themselves. While reconstruction is in progress, Torres was on the bench here and David Luiz is ineligible for this competition. The old guard were therefore presented with an opportunity to demonstrate their continuing relevance.
Copenhagen had a keen appetite for this contest as well. Indeed, Stale Solbakken's team came closest to a goal in the first half when Dame N'Doye hit the post with a free-kick after 26 minutes. There had, all the same, been gusto from Chelsea that was commendable when it looked as if the result of the first leg had made this encounter academic. Didier Drogba, perhaps eager to emphasise his status as a centre-forward while Torres sat on the bench, was eager for involvement as he linked with Nicolas Anelka.
It was he who released Ashley Cole in the eighth minute, only for the left-back to fire into the side netting. Drogba then adopted a more direct approach with a 30-yarder that called for a save by Johan Wiland. There was a spell when Chelsea appeared to be overwhelming Copenhagen. Yuri Zhirkov, starting a second consecutive match while Florent Malouda pays the price for a loss of form, might have put Chelsea ahead but instead missed the target after being set up by Drogba and Cole.
In view of the aggregate score, Chelsea were not awash with angst but it must have been irksome to the side and its manager that they were inefficient before the interval. Credit for that was due to Copenhagen. Many a side in their position would have seen the fixture as a duty more than an opportunity but there was a spirit that showed the value the evening held for them. It was typical of the attitude that, for instance, Oscar Wendt should pull off a tackle on Anelka when the Frenchman seemed to have gone clear moments from half-time. The Frenchman differed from his team-mates by being a little sharper but Wiland saved his shot when he went through in the 21st minute.
Perhaps, too, defiance was an indication of the status that a meeting with Chelsea held, even if the improbability of progress to the quarter-finals seemed glaring to everyone outside the Copenhagen camp. The usual accusations of complacency were not to be levelled against Ancelottis's side either. If anything, they were enlivened by the keenness of the visitors. A shabby result for Chelsea would have been unwelcome just when vigour had been rediscovered in the Premier League. Any quibbles would have been directed at a midfield that had not exercised control over Copenhagen.
Even so, the main fault with Ancelotti's line-up was leniency. Mikel hit the bar with a header following an Anelka flick and the trait was almost wilful at times, with Anelka appearing to go through on the right only to double back and invite a challenge in the 50th minute. Before that Drogba had not been able to convert José Bosingwa's low cross at the far post.
Copenhagen were as determined at the least to leave this stadium feeling proud of themselves. Indeed the desire to score had increased. That wish to attack should, in principle, have offered scope to their opponents but Chelsea's reaction was largely one of exasperation.
The crowd was tetchy. If Copenhagen's adventurousness were not galling enough, they had to study a move between Ramires and Lampard linking with no more to follow than an aimless ball from the Englishman that ran off-target. The introduction of Torres for Anelka at least awakened enthusiasm in an exasperating game.
The outcome did not matter in itself while Copenhagen were failing to score but it would have been happier for a large crowd and the players if there had been a further demonstration that Chelsea are on the rise. Even so a berth in the quarter-finals does carry status.
Despite the seeming irrelevance of the match, Copenhagen began as if all their hopes were intact. Without that sort of competitiveness they would not have got even this far in the tournament. It would have been galling, too, that they had gone into the first game with Chelsea while lacking competitive match practice because of a mid-season break. Their exertions at Stamford Bridge, however, seemed also to enliven their opponents.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have, in any case, begun to feel better about themselves. While reconstruction is in progress, Torres was on the bench here and David Luiz is ineligible for this competition. The old guard were therefore presented with an opportunity to demonstrate their continuing relevance.
Copenhagen had a keen appetite for this contest as well. Indeed, Stale Solbakken's team came closest to a goal in the first half when Dame N'Doye hit the post with a free-kick after 26 minutes. There had, all the same, been gusto from Chelsea that was commendable when it looked as if the result of the first leg had made this encounter academic. Didier Drogba, perhaps eager to emphasise his status as a centre-forward while Torres sat on the bench, was eager for involvement as he linked with Nicolas Anelka.
It was he who released Ashley Cole in the eighth minute, only for the left-back to fire into the side netting. Drogba then adopted a more direct approach with a 30-yarder that called for a save by Johan Wiland. There was a spell when Chelsea appeared to be overwhelming Copenhagen. Yuri Zhirkov, starting a second consecutive match while Florent Malouda pays the price for a loss of form, might have put Chelsea ahead but instead missed the target after being set up by Drogba and Cole.
In view of the aggregate score, Chelsea were not awash with angst but it must have been irksome to the side and its manager that they were inefficient before the interval. Credit for that was due to Copenhagen. Many a side in their position would have seen the fixture as a duty more than an opportunity but there was a spirit that showed the value the evening held for them. It was typical of the attitude that, for instance, Oscar Wendt should pull off a tackle on Anelka when the Frenchman seemed to have gone clear moments from half-time. The Frenchman differed from his team-mates by being a little sharper but Wiland saved his shot when he went through in the 21st minute.
Perhaps, too, defiance was an indication of the status that a meeting with Chelsea held, even if the improbability of progress to the quarter-finals seemed glaring to everyone outside the Copenhagen camp. The usual accusations of complacency were not to be levelled against Ancelottis's side either. If anything, they were enlivened by the keenness of the visitors. A shabby result for Chelsea would have been unwelcome just when vigour had been rediscovered in the Premier League. Any quibbles would have been directed at a midfield that had not exercised control over Copenhagen.
Even so, the main fault with Ancelotti's line-up was leniency. Mikel hit the bar with a header following an Anelka flick and the trait was almost wilful at times, with Anelka appearing to go through on the right only to double back and invite a challenge in the 50th minute. Before that Drogba had not been able to convert José Bosingwa's low cross at the far post.
Copenhagen were as determined at the least to leave this stadium feeling proud of themselves. Indeed the desire to score had increased. That wish to attack should, in principle, have offered scope to their opponents but Chelsea's reaction was largely one of exasperation.
The crowd was tetchy. If Copenhagen's adventurousness were not galling enough, they had to study a move between Ramires and Lampard linking with no more to follow than an aimless ball from the Englishman that ran off-target. The introduction of Torres for Anelka at least awakened enthusiasm in an exasperating game.
The outcome did not matter in itself while Copenhagen were failing to score but it would have been happier for a large crowd and the players if there had been a further demonstration that Chelsea are on the rise. Even so a berth in the quarter-finals does carry status.
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