[Beckhams]

Reading 0 Chelsea 1

16th October 2006

The English soccer champions Chelsea might have to play their third choice goalkeeper against Barcelona this week after their top two goalies were knocked out atg the weekend.

Petr Cech had undergone surgery for a depressed skull fracture after being knocked out soon after the kickoff in their premier league match against Reading, and Carlo Cuducini was later carried off with his neck braced.

Chelsea face Barcelona at home for the third season in a row in the big match of the Champions League on Thursday morning.

Chelsea thus kept pace with Manchester United in the Premiership but their thoughts, yesterday, were not with United or Barcelona, but with an amiable Czech giant lying stricken in an Oxfordshire hospital bed.

Goals: Ingimarsson og (45) 0-1.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty (Bikey, 36), Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Seol (Little, 64), Sidwell, Harper, Hunt; Lita (Long, 73), Doyle. Substitutes not used: Stack (gk), Gunnarsson.

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech (Cudicini, 5); Ferriera, Boulahrouz, Terry, Bridge; Essien; Mikel, Lampard, Robben (Kalou, 82); Shevchenko (J Cole, 62), Drogba. Substitutes not used: Carvalho, Wright-Phillips.

Referee: M Riley (West Yorkshire).

Booked: Reading Ingimarsson, Sonko, Bikey; Chelsea Mikel, Terry. Sent off: Reading Bikey; Chelsea Mikel.

Man of the match: Drogba.

Attendance: 24,025.