Chelsea remain on top of Champions League Group F and kept their perfect record intact with a comfortable 2-0 away win over Spartak Moscow.
After a cautious start from both sides at the Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday, it was Spartak who had the first opportunity 10 minutes in when Dmitri Kombarov capitalised on a strong run from Sergei Parshivlyuk but could only succeed in blasting a shot over the bar.
Two minutes later, Petr Cech was forced into a superb save when Brazilian striker Welliton received a cross at the near post before turning a defender and blasting a shot toward goal, which the Chelsea goalkeeper kept out with a foot.
Chelsea took the lead in spectacular fashion after 23 minutes when defender Yuri Zhirkov blasted a volley past Spartak 'keeper Andriy Dykan and into the top corner.
Nicolas Anelka had a great chance to double their advantage when he seized upon an errant back pass and had only Dykan to beat, but the stopper reacted quickly to avert the danger.
The Frenchman did make it 2-0 just before half-time, getting on the end of a precise through ball from Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien to drill a low right-foot shot past Dykan.
Just two minutes after the restart, Anelka once again found himself through but his cross found only a nest of red shirts in the box. Spartak promptly took the ball downfield to Irishman Aiden McGeady, whose shot took a wicked deflection and fizzed just over Cech's crossbar.
Spartak began pouring on the pressure and Brazilian midfielder Ibson forced two great saves from Cech in quick succession.
McGeady was starting to have more of an influence out wide, but the Chelsea defence - brilliantly led by John Terry - did a good job of repelling the attacks.
Chelsea went close to a third on 71 minutes after a sublime run from Salomon Kalou and dummy from Anelka got the ball to Essien, but his shot was just wide of the post.
With five minutes remaining, a slack Ashley Cole back pass almost let Welliton in to pull a goal back, but Cech reacted quickly to clear the ball.
Chelsea moved to nine points from three games with the win ahead of Spartak's visit to Stamford Bridge next Wednesday. The result was the Russians' first blemish and they have six points from their three games.