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Chelsea and Deportivo ease into Champions League proper
( 2003-08-27 09:33) (Agencies)

Chelsea, Anderlecht, Deportivo Coruna and Sparta Prague booked their places in the money-spinning Champions League group phase on Tuesday after coming through the third qualifying round unscathed.

Chelsea were emphatic 3-0 winners over Zilina of Slovakia, securing a 5-0 aggregate victory, and Anderlecht were equally comfortable with a 1-0 win at Wisla Krakow in Poland that made them 4-1 winners over the two legs.

But Deportivo needed home advantage for a 1-0 victory over Rosenborg Trondheim, after the away leg in Norway had finished goalless, while a 2-2 draw on the night for Sparta Prague was good enough for a 5-4 win over Vardar Skopje.

Chelsea, who have so often stumbled in the early stages of European competition in recent seasons, made no mistake at Stamford Bridge on a night made even more special by the signing of Argentina striker Hernan Crespo.

The former Inter Milan frontman took the west London club's spending to nearly 100 million pounds since Russian businessman Roman Abramovich took over last month -- and his team look set for a promising European campaign.

Goals from new defender Glen Johnson, young German centre-half Robert Huth and experienced Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink gave the hosts a convincing win in a game they never looked like drawing, let alone losing.

Chelsea, who won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1998, were joined in Thursday's draw for the group phase by Anderlecht.

ROSENBORG WOE

A late strike by Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane decided the Belgians' second leg game in Krakow, though the real damage had already been done in the first leg.

Deportivo had a 16th-minute goal from Albert Luque to thank for their passage, ending Rosenborg's bid for a record ninth consecutive appearance in the group stage of the competition.

The Norwegian champions hold the existing record with eight appearances.

Former Manchester United midfielder Karel Poborsky was again the key to Sparta's success as the Czech side saw off a gritty Macedonian challenge.

Poborsky, who scored twice in their 3-2 win a fortnight ago in Skopje, netted an equaliser after Slavco Georgievski gave the visitors a surprise lead.

Nigerian Bless'ng Chinedu Anyanviu restored Vardar's lead until substitute Libor Sionko levelled for Sparta in the 82nd minute.

The third qualifying round will be completed with Wednesday's 12 second-leg matches.

 
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