Chelsea 2 - 1 Hull City

Drogba stages late show

Updated: August 15, 2009, 8:15 AM UK

Drogba brace rescues Blues

Didier Drogba's double strike gave new Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti a winning start to his Barclays Premier League career seeing off Hull 2-1.

• Ancelotti happy but relieved

The Ivory Coast international grabbed the winner in added time to shatter battling Hull's hopes of a point.

Chelsea had trailed to a 27th-minute goal from Hull's debut boy Stephen Hunt, but Drogba levelled the scores in the 37th minute with a dipping 25-yard free-kick and then netted a fortuitous winner late in the game to secure maximum reward for the home side.

But prior to Drogba's face-saving strike there were worrying echoes of the Luiz Felipe Scolari era.

Chelsea resorted to far too much intricate approach play on the edge of Hull's penalty area and when that failed they opted to punt long balls into the danger zone from either flank.

They were tactics reminiscent of Scolari's ill-fated reign and, just as Chelsea did so often under their former coach, they saved themselves late on.

The home side should have taken the lead as early as the second minute but Drogba fired wide from six yards after Michael Essien's superb cross fell directly at the feet of the unmarked striker.

Hull gave Chelsea a warning in the ninth minute when captain George Boateng shot just wide of Petr Cech's right-hand upright from 20 yards.

Four minutes later a cross from Hunt was headed over by Dean Marney. The Hull midfielder was allowed to ghost into the penalty unmarked and should have done better with his finish.

Cech then had to be alert to save another shot from Boateng as the Tigers began to find some success in the attacking third.

Hull had weathered the early Chelsea storm and had been far from second best.

Chelsea looked impressive going forward in their diamond formation but the same could not be said for the defensive element of the system.

The home side's failure to clear a free-kick in the 27th minute cost them dearly.

Chelsea had been upset at the free-kick awarded by Alan Riley when the official insisted that Jose Bosingwa had tugged the shirt of Hunt.

It got worse for the Blues when Andy Dawson sent the free-kick towards the Chelsea penalty area.

It was only half-cleared to Boateng on the edge of the area and his shot cannoned off both Ashley Cole and Mikel before falling to Hunt to apply an easy finish into an unguarded net.

That made it a terrific start to his Hull career for Hunt who was booed all afternoon by the Chelsea fans.

They still have not forgiven the former Reading player for the challenge in an October 2006 match which left Cech with a fractured skull.

The Blues were level in the 37th minute thanks to a superb free-kick.

Seyi Olofinjana was penalised by Wiley for holding off Mikel 25 yards out and Drogba punished them severely when he sent a dipping shot over the defensive wall and into the right corner.

Boaz Myhill then had to dive low to his left to prevent Michael Essien from giving Chelsea the lead five minutes before the interval.

Ancelotti's side should have gone in front within seconds of the re-start.

Drogba set up strike partner Nicolas Anelka perfectly but the France international failed to beat Myhill from six yards.

In the 56th minute Myhill twice denied Drogba with stunning saves.

In the 68th minute Hull replaced Hunt with new signing Kamel Ghilas to a chorus of boos from the Chelsea fans and the Blues substituted Malouda, bringing on Deco.

Essien almost gave Chelsea the lead in the 74th minute but his 20-yard volley was narrowly wide of the target.

Bosingwa then brought a fine diving save from Myhill as his effort looked to creep in.

Substitute Salomon Kalou, on for Anelka, then headed over from Deco's cross as Chelsea chased a winner.

But Drogba scored a vital winner two minutes into added time when what looked like a cross looped over Myhill and into the far corner from an acute angle.

Ancelotti happy but relieved

Carlo Ancelotti knows there is still room for improvement after his baptism in the Barclays Premier League was made all the more enjoyable by a fluke winner from Didier Drogba.

"For sure we have to improve because we didn't always play well in this match," said Ancelotti.

"We made some mistakes. But this is normal after one month.

"We have to improve our play and continuity in matches. This game was very difficult because we went behind.

"But we didn't lose the idea to play and at the end we deserved to win.

"It is good for the team to believe all the time that they could score.

"This is football, a nice part of football. It is important for us to believe."

Ancelotti had to be thankful for another outstanding display from Drogba.

The Ivory Coast striker recently signed a new contract extension and looked back to his best compared with the dark days he endured under former boss Luiz Felipe Scolari.

"I think last season he had a problem with his body and now he is well," added Ancelotti.

"He is important for us and I am very happy he scored two goals. He has a lot of motivation now."

"We have to consider that a lot players played 90 minutes with their national team and did not rest totally," said Ancelotti.

"I didn't speak with Capello. I want, if it is possible, to help his work and give England players in good condition. I am not coach of England, they have a very good coach.

"Ashley, John and Frank are in very good condition, it was no problem for them to play 90 minutes."

Hull boss Phil Brown admitted he was "bitterly disappointed" at losing the game in injury time but was more than pleased with their overall performance.

"I am bitterly disappointed but pleased that we put a marker down in London yet again," said Brown.

"This is what we asked the players to do. We played better today than last season and yet we got a point then.

"We got to 92 minutes and were done by a cross which Didier has admitted. It was a pleasing performance and the game plan was to frustrate Chelsea. We knew they had the quality to beat us and turn the game on its head and that happened in the 92nd minute."

Brown was particularly pleased with the performance of debutant Hunt, who put the Tigers ahead against the run of play in the opening half.

"We had three or four new players on show who are learning all about Phil Brown and what it is like to play for Hull City," added Brown.

"He's had a quite a energetic first game but we knew it would be difficult for him today.

"He's tenacious and gets in the face of the opposition and sometimes teams or players don't like that but he is my kind of player."

Hull only just survived relegation last year and Brown acknowledges they will have to prove the doubters wrong once more.

"We survived last year and people doubted us but we have to prove them wrong again."