Blues lose Cech as win gives Mourinho upper hand

The visitors, whose 2-1 defeat was compounded by the loss of goalkeeper Petr Cech with a calf injury in the second half, were a goal down inside three minutes when striker Diego Milito put Mourinho's side ahead.

Salomon Kalou equalised in the 51st minute but Inter restored their advantage four minutes later when Esteban Cambiasso drilled in the winner.

Kalou's goal may yet prove to be the pivotal moment of the tie; the two teams meet again in the return leg at Stamford Bridge next month.

A match that had been built up as a contest between the two coaches – Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti used to coach AC Milan – was sparked into life inside three minutes.

Thiago Motta's through ball found Milito inside the Chelsea penalty area and when captain John Terry half-heartedly attempted to block his progress, the Inter striker turned inside his challenge and slammed the ball beyond Cech at the near post.

Mourinho greeted the goal with an approving nod from his seat in the Inter dugout.

Chelsea were unlucky not to equalise when Didier Drogba's fierce free-kick cannoned back off the crossbar with Julio Cesar well beaten.

The early goal had sparked Chelsea into life and the game was hardly the defensive lockout many had predicted.

Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty seconds before the interval when Kalou went down under a challenge from Walter Samuel but their claims were ignored by referee Manuel Gonzalez.

In the 51st minute Chelsea were level through Kalou. Branislav Ivanovic created the opportunity and Kalou curled in a shot from the edge of the box.

It took Inter just four minutes to re-establish their lead. Ivanovic blocked Cambiasso's first attempt but there was little anyone could do about the follow-up shot which flashed into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

In yesterday's other tie, Mark Gonzalez struck a magnificent goal to salvage a 1-1 draw for CSKA Moscow at home to Sevilla, who had led through Alvaro Negredo's first-half goal.