Nicolas Anelka's goals continue to drive Chelsea on in the Champions League but the performance was not one to remove concerns after the defeat at Wigan.
The France striker found the net with another top class finish early in the second-half but after Carlo Ancelotti's side failed to drive home the advantage, an APOEL side that had looked low standard for this competition in the middle part of the game made Chelsea appear ragged.
His team-mates had to be grateful for an excellent Petr Cech save midway through the second-half in denying the Cypriots their second group stage draw.
There had been good news before kick-off when Ashley Cole was pronounced fit to start. That meant just one change from the opening Champions League group game - Belletti in for injured and left-at-home Ballack.
The forecasted rain in Nicosia had been no more than a few drops mid-afternoon and the Chelsea fans present were not hiding where they had spent most of their time in Cyprus. Several beach inflatables were on display.
The APOEL fans recreated a spectacle akin to a Holland home game with their orange shirts filling the stands in support of a yellow and blue clad team.
With a card display across all four sides before kick-off over, the game was underway on an evening that was now mild in temperature.
Ashley Cole advanced and won a corner after just 13 seconds. Lampard landed it into a crowded six-yard box but the danger was cleared.
The hairless Mirosavljevic, APOEL's striker in the absence of Poland international Marcin Zewlakow was an early pest and Ivanovic was spoken to by the French ref after fouling his fellow Serb.
A better contribution from the Chelsea right-back came on eight minutes when he fed Essien in space but though not closed quickly, the holding midfielder's shot from 20 yards was wide.
Lampard, from a wide free-kick, was not far from finding the head of Ivanovic with his delivery but on balance it was an untidy start by Chelsea, as evidenced when only an offside flag halted the Cypriots after a below par Essien had lost the ball dangerously.
There was much better play from the visitors in all white after quarter-of-an-hour but Kalou snatched at his shot when found by Anelka, stabbing wastefully wide.
A minute later Chelsea hearts were in mouths as Ivanovic slipped as a long ball headed Mirosavljevic's way but though grounded, the boot of the Chelsea defender still somehow managed to intercept.
Then on 17 minutes came the opening goal. It had a lot to do with the positive play of Belletti who though given plenty to do by a Kalou pass, still wormed his way into the area. It had just as much to do with the quality of Anelka's finish from just inside the box, curling high beyond Chiotis and into the far corner.
APOEL could have levelled soon after when the ball dropped inside the area to unmarked Charalambides but with Cole diving in at his ankles, the shot flew off into the Mediterranean darkness.
Mistakes were creeping into the Cypriots' game and approaching the half-hour they left Belletti all alone 30 yards out. Surprisingly the Brazilian opted for the sideways pass and Malouda banged a shot wide.
Chelsea, for all the possession we were now enjoying, failed to create any more chances up to the interval.
The play had plenty of width about it but no penetration and a laboured close to the opening period was capped by a booking for Kalou.
Lampard had an early effort into the sidenetting but Chelsea allowed APOEL a foothold back into the game at the start of the second half. The home side began to stretch our defence and it took a well-positioned Cole to deal with a threatening cross from Kontis.
That turned the constant thump-thump and chanting from the home support into a brief crescendo.
Chelsea were asking for trouble and very nearly got it when Ivanovic and Malouda conspired to send away substitute Kosowski to cross. When unmarked full-back Haxhi placed his shot low, it deflected off Terry and Cech did superbly to readjust his weight and save with his leg.
The corner that followed was headed on by Carvalho under immense pressure.
Ancelotti reacted by making Deco his first sub on 67 minutes, taking off Belletti and moving Malouda deeper.
Finally Chelsea woke up and Lampard played a rapid exchange of passes with Ivanovic but the vice-captain's finish in space was disappointing.
On 75 minutes Ivanovic was forward again and when Lampard missed his squared ball, Malouda tamely pushed it at the keeper.
Ivanovic converted his early lecture into a yellow card for a foul shortly before Joe Cole became a 79thminute sub for Kalou who had not enjoyed a good night.
Nor it has to be said had Chelsea, especially as APOEL ended the game stronger. Charalambides could well have scored when found at the far post by an excellent Kosowski cross but headed wide.
The Cypriots' chance of a first goal in the group stage had gone so Chelsea are top by three points, with Porto beating struggling Atletico Madrid in the other game.
This was our first Champions League win outside of England since November 2007, but even though Liverpool suffered defeat in Italy this week, you suspect it will need a much improved Chelsea display on Sunday to get the better of the Merseysiders at the Bridge.
Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Belletti (Deco 67), Essien, Lampard; Kalou (J Cole 79), Malouda; Anelka.
Scorer Anelka 17
Booked Kalou 43, Ivanovic 79
APOEL (4-2-3-1): Chiotis; Poursaitides, Kontis, Grncarov, Haxhi; Nuno Morais, Michail (c) (Breska 80); Charalambides (Jean Paulista 84), Hélio Pinto, Alexandrou (Kosowski 57); Mirosavljevic.
