Hiddink Starts His Chelsea Career with a Win at Villa

Andrei Arshavin forced a good saved from Fulop after 14 minutes with a rasping left-footed drive.

Aston Villa 0 - Chelsea 1 (Premier League, February 21, 2009) The Guus Hiddink era at Chelsea started according to the fairytale script, 19 minutes in Frank Lampard rode two tackles to break into the final third where he played in Nicolas Anelka who produced the expert finish.

Ashley Young, who was proving to be Villa’s main threat, struck the crossbar with a free-kick just after the half hour. Villa continued to press after the break, Gabi Agbonlahor beat Alex to get a sight of goal but his shot was turned aside by Cech.

For the second time this season Matty Taylor scored a quality free-kick against West Ham, this time curling his effort high past Rob Green’s outstretched hand. The Trotters doubled their lead sixty seconds later when Elmander’s low cross was converted on the run by Kevin Davies.

Bayern Munich 1 - FC Cologne 2 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) Bayern’s troubled start to 2009 persisted early on against Cologne, Klinsmann had to watch on as a Miroslav Klose diving header wrongly wrongly chalked off and then at the other end a slick attack including Novakovic and Vucicevic ended with a clinical finish from Fabrice Ehret.

And it got worse for Bayern, Vucicevic teased Lahm in the left back position, passed into Brosinski who side-footed in the second.

Stuttgart 3 - Hoffenheim 3 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) Demba Ba fired Hoffenheim into the lead away at Stuttgart with a shot across Lehmann that the keeper couldn’t keep out. But the lead only last two minutes, Jeronimo Cacau was freed in the inside left channel and he drove into the box and poke a shot into the far corner.

The turnaround was completed on the half hour mark, a loose Stuttgart corner was picked up at the back post by Tasci who swung in a pacey cross to the near post where lethal Mario Gomez headed home. On the stroke of halftime Demba Ba struck low for his second of the match.

On the hour mark serial goalscorer Mario Gomez hit again, the striker finding himself in acres of space in the box before perfectly lobbing the keeper in an over-the-top manner. But again the lead was short-lived, Demba Ba netting his hat-trick goal after outsprinting the home defence.

Wolfsburg 1 - Hertha Berlin 1 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) Hertha moved ahead at Wolfsburg when Cicero headed in a cross at the back post on the hour mark. But the league leaders were pegged back when Edin Dzeko continued his goalscoring exploits.

Arminia Bielefeld 1 - Bochum 1 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) An acrobatic overhead-kick from Diego Klimowicz gave Bochum the lead at Arminia. Eight minutes from time Mijatovic’s flick on from a free-kick brought the hosts level.

Moenchengladbach 3 - Hannover 2 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) Alexander Baumjohann broke the deadlock for Gladbach with a bullet into the top corner from outside the box. (How is it that Baumjohann only ever score amazing goals?) Hannover then found themselves two behind when Marin scored minutes before the break.

The visitors pulled a goal back through Sergio Pinto early in the second half. The comeback was completed when Schulz headed home a corner to bring Hannover level. Oliver Neuville’s late volley gave the hosts the win.

Energie Cottbus 2 - Werder Bremen 1 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) Werder raced out the blocks after the break at Cottbus as Hugo Almeida powered home a header. The lead lasted five minutes until Ivica Iliev scored the equaliser at the near post.

Karlsruhe 0 - Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Bundesliga, February 21, 2009) The wonderfully named Caio came off the bench at Karlsruhe to give Frankfurt the lead with an unconventional shot from the edge of the box.

Trabzonspor 0 - Denizlispor 2 (Super Lig, February 21, 2009) Goals from Angelov and Bangoura in each half sent Trabzonspor to a surprise defeat.

Adelaide United 1 - Queensland Roar 0 (A-League playoff, February 21, 2009) A stunning Fabien Barbiero strike in the 25th minute that arrowed into the top corner set up a Grand Final meeting between Adelaide and the Melbourne Victory next weekend.