Kalou 26

                                                                                                                                       Lampard 45

Chelsea took a significant step towards their one remaining ambition of Champions League knock-out stage qualification with this come-from-behind victory at the in-form Baggies.

The Blues, wearing green, went a goal behind on 17 minutes when Jerome Thomas sent Peter Odemwingie clear of a square Chelsea rearguard and the Nigerian international striker dinked the ball over on-rushing keeper Petr Cech.

Within nine minutes, however, Chelsea were ahead. Didier Drogba equalised in the 22^nd minute with right-foot shot after the Baggies defence got in a mess dealing with Florent Malouda’s cross.

And they went ahead four minutes later, Salmon Kalou finishing left-footed from a tight-ish angle after Baggies keeper Scott Carson palmed Drogba’s long-range effort into his path.

Frank Lampard tested Carson from long range on 34 minutes and beat him on 45 minutes from 15 yards when he converted Malouda’s cross from the left.

Drogba cleared Jonas Olsson’s header off the line in first-half stoppage time. While Kalou’s 61^st-minute drive from distance was deflected onto the bar.

Luckless substitute Fernando Torres had an effort ruled out for offside late on and Chelsea spent the rest of the match trying to set Torres up for his first Chelsea goal. They failed.