Chelsea unable to make the breakthrough

CHELSEA escaped a distinctly uncomfortable night in Transylvania with a Champions League draw – but there are fresh concerns about the fitness of striker Didier Drogba.

Drogba was carried off on a stretcher with an apparent knee injury an hour into the game and reportedly left the ground early to undergo X-rays.

Chelsea never managed to stamp their authority on the match against CFR Cluj, who celebrated the draw as if it were a victory.

The double-winners, who, just six years ago, were in the third tier of the Romanian football, beat Roma 2-1 on their Champions League debut a fortnight ago and remain level with Chelsea on top of Group A. Eugen Trica threatened to get a late winner for the Romanian champions in the 80th with a fierce shot from the edge of the area. Six minutes later, Alvaro Pereira forced a close-range save from Chelsea keeper Petr Cech.

For the London club, Franco di Santo, who was sent on in place of Malouda with 20 minutes remaining, almost headed Chelsea ahead with his first touch of the ball after stealing in unnoticed at the near post. And another Chelsea substitute, Nicolas Anelka, had a 78th-minute goal ruled out for offside.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted his side had struggled. He said: "It was difficult. We did not play well – the players know that – but one point is better than zero. Cluj were confident – they wanted to prove something. Maybe they will have a problem in their next game because they ran for 95 minutes."

However, the injury to Drogba was of foremost concern to Scolari. The Ivory Coast striker's right knee appeared to jar as he tried to get on the end of a Salomon Kalou cross, with early reports suggesting he could have a fracture and ligament damage.

But Scolari revealed he did not know the latest news on the striker because "the doctor did not answer our telephone".

CFR Cluj: Stancioiu, Tony, Souza, Cadu, Pereira, Culio, Muresan, Dani, Dubarbier, Yssouf Kone, Trica (Didi 89). Subs not used: Nuno Claro, Panin, Hugo Alcantara, Deac, Emmanuel Kone, Ruiz.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Bridge, Mikel, Kalou (Anelka 46), Ballack, Lampard, Malouda (Di Santo 74), Drogba (Belletti 58). Subs not used: Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Ferreira, Belletti, Stoch.