Didier Drogba scored the first goal of his second Chelsea spell to help them into a 3-0 half-time advantage over Maribor in Champions League Group G tonight.
The Ivorian replaced the injured Loic Remy, who had earlier put the Blues ahead, to double a lead which was extended by John Terry before the break at Stamford Bridge.
It was the Slovenian visitors who threatened first as Damjan Bohar headed narrowly over a Chelsea goal being kept by Petr Cech, recalled to give Thibaut Courtois a rest, but Jose Mourinho's side soon took control.
Having previously shot straight at Maribor stopper Jasmin Handanovic from a Willian through-ball, Remy chased down a Terry pass before cutting inside to place a precise left-footed shot into the bottom corner on 15 minutes.
However, the French summer signing from Queens Park Rangers injured himself in the process and was replaced by Drogba, who was soon given the opportunity to join Remy on the scoresheet when Ales Mertelj was adjudged to have handled inside the box.
The 36-year-old buried his spot kick with aplomb for his first Chelsea goal since scoring the crucial equaliser in their Champions League final triumph in 2012 - the last game of his first Blues spell.
Terry, the man who famously joined in the celebrations in Munich that evening, having missed the match through suspension, put the hosts in complete command when he made an unchecked surge up the pitch to finish off a Chelsea counter-attack involving Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard on 31 minutes.
Joe Fish
