Eto'o gives Mourinho revenge over Chelsea

Inter manager Jose Mourinho got his revenge on Chelsea as a late goal from Samuel Eto'o sealed a 1-0 last 16 second leg victory over his former club at Stamford Bridge yesterday for a 3-1 aggregate win.

Mourinho was back at Chelsea for the first time since being sacked in September 2007 following a power struggle with Blues owner Roman Abramovich and he showed the Russian what he had let go by devising the perfect game-plan to eliminate his former team.

The Portuguese coach once criticised Tottenham for "parking the bus" after Chelsea were shut out by their defensive London rivals, but Mourinho borrowed a trick or two from that scheme to keep Carlo Ancelotti's side at bay before Eto'o's strike secured victory.

Chelsea, who had Didier Drogba sent off in the final moments, hadn't been held without a goal at home for 11 months, yet they rarely threatened to find a way through an Inter defence superbly marshalled by Lucio and Walter Samuel.

It was a classic Mourinho display as Inter ground the life out of Chelsea and then delivered the killer blow in clinical fashion. At last Mourinho, who disappeared down the tunnel quickly at the end, had his moment of vindication.

Mourinho was greeted with respectful applause from the home supporters but it was hardly the rapturous reception many, including Mourinho, had predicted.

Inter needed only a draw to go through and the visitors were content to defend in numbers. The onus was on Chelsea to set the tempo and Ancelotti's team created what few openings there were in a frantic first half.

Florent Malouda appealed in vain for a penalty when his incisive run was ended by an uncompromising block from Lucio, while Michael Ballack threatened with a long-range effort that skimmed just wide.

It was heavyweight stuff with the temperature never far from boiling point.

Lucio caught Malouda with a dangerously high boot, sparking a shoving match between several players, then Maicon made a superb challenge to stop Drogba getting a shot off as the Chelsea striker prepared to pull the trigger 10 yards out.

Eto'o had a glorious chance to put Inter ahead when Maicon's cross cleared two Chelsea defenders and reached the Cameroon forward at the far post, but his header bounced tamely into the turf and over the bar.

Mourinho buried his head in his hands and Nicolas Anelka nearly made Inter pay for that miss just before half-time.

When Drogba's pass reached Anelka six yards out, he twisted to poke his shot goalwards, only for Julio Cesar to make a brave save at the French forward's feet.

Mourinho lost just one game at Stamford Bridge during his three-and-a-half year reign and he was just 45 minutes away from surviving his first as a visitor.

Ancelotti sent on Joe Cole as the Blues began to run out of ideas but Eto'o put the tie beyond their reach in the 78th minute. Wesley Sneijder had been at the heart of Inter's few attacking moments and he lofted a superb pass towards Eto'o, who held off his marker before driving a low shot past Ross Turnbull.

Mourinho had promised not to celebrate if Inter won but the moment got the better of him as he leapt to his feet with fists pumping.

Chelsea's frustration came to the surface as Drogba was sent off in the final moments after a clash with Thiago Motta.

CSKA progress

A costly goalkeeping blunder from Sevilla captain Andres Palop helped CSKA Moscow qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time with a 2-1 win in Spain last night.

The Russians march on to uncharted waters at the expense of Sevilla having secured a 3-2 aggregate victory.

With the last 16 tie level at 2-2 Palop allowed Japan international midfielder Keisuke Honda's long-range free-kick to creep in on 55 minutes and Sevilla could not find the two goals they needed as they joined Spanish counterparts Real Madrid in exiting the competition meaning holders Barcelona, who are in action against VfB Stuttgart today, are Spain's last hope.

Tomas Necid shot CSKA into a 39th minute lead only for Argentine Diego Perotti to equalise two minutes later and level the tie 2-2 on aggregate.

Palop then underestimated the ferocity of 23-year-old Honda's free-kick which forced its way in and proved the decisive moment in the tie.