Chelsea too good for Sporting Lisbon as Blues cruise to top spot

Serious Champions League business begins for Chelsea in
February after Jose Mourinho's men completed their unbeaten
Group G campaign with a 3-1 win over Sporting Lisbon.
The Blues had already qualified for the last 16 as group
winners, with Sporting hoping to join them ahead of Schalke,
managed by Chelsea's European Cup-winning manager
Roberto di Matteo.
A Cesc Fabregas penalty and goals from Andre Schurrle and
John Obi Mikel - his fifth goal in more than 300 Blues
appearances - meant Sporting had to rely on Maribor
avoiding defeat against Schalke.
But the Germans won 1-0 in Slovenia to advance to the
knockout stages.
Chelsea had made six changes to the side which lost at
Newcastle - the Blues' first defeat in 24 matches this season -
but strolled to a 2-0 lead within 16 minutes.
Jonathan Silva pulled a goal back five minutes into the second
half, but Mikel restored the two-goal advantage within six
minutes.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, an 18-year-old midfielder who has been
at Chelsea since the age of eight, came off the substitutes' bench
for his debut with seven minutes remaining on what was a
comfortable night for the home side.
Chelsea always appeared likely to win Group G, the only
surprise was that their passage was not more comfortable.
The Blues opened with a draw with Schalke, who they beat
5-0 in Germany, beat Maribor 6-0, but drew the return and
edged to a 1-0 win in Lisbon before Wednesday night's
triumph.
Chelsea will face sterner tests when their quest for a second
European Cup - and Mourinho's third with three different
clubs - resumes, but first Hull await when the Premier
League leaders return to domestic duty on Saturday.