On the balance of chances created, Chelsea should be bringing a lead back to London but instead, we have suffered our first defeat in this season's competition after letting a lead slip.

Fenerbahçe looked nothing like the side that had won every game at home in their campaign during a first-half in which they had presented Chelsea with an own-goal and seen us hit the woodwork

But against a backdrop of expected fervour and noise, we didn't make the most of many opportunities and the Turks worked their way back into the tie - although Avram Grant's men will be disappointed with manner in which the goals were allowed in.

The Chelsea manager decided to start former striking star of these parts, Anelka on the bench so Drogba spearheaded the attack - but there was one change to the front three, Florent Malouda coming in for his first Chelsea action since Barnsley.

Lampard was back after illness and the Champions League experience of Makelele and Ballack was called upon in the middle. Michael Essien was once more asked to play left-back.

As the team's walked out, the stands were enveloped in single banners that covered entire tiers. 'The rising sun over Europe' said one end. Opposite the cloth simply read 'Hell'.

Bizarrely, the only flare, for so long a staple of Turkish support, was in the Chelsea fans' section.

When the match kicked-off to four sides of bouncing, Chelsea conceded an early free-kick midway inside our half. Ballack snuffed out any danger from the delivery with a clearing header.

Then Cudicini had to be quick off his line to thwart Gokcek Vederson after a disguised through ball.

A clever interchange between Ballack and Joe Cole on the right on 10 minutes ended with a promising ball towards Drogba that proved too high. Then Cole tried an audacious chip, comfortably taken by Volkan.

If Chelsea weren't able to apply the finishing touch to this spell of pressure, the Turkish side were prepared to lend a hand - or the boot of Deivid to be more precise.

When Malouda thumped a cross in low, the midfielder diverted it past a rooted Volkan.

Briefly the ground went quiet, but only briefly. There were 12 minutes gone.

On 17 minutes, the visitors went within a whisker of putting the tie firmly in our grasp when Essien was given time to shot from 30 yards and saw his effort flick off the crossbar and over with the keeper nowhere.

Another chance came on 22 minutes, Essien lofting into the box and Drogba winding up and planting a header wide. Chelsea looked capable of causing plenty of problems for Fenerbahçe at the back.

On 29 minutes and to a chorus of whistles, Chelsea patiently probed before Ballack slotted the ball up to Drogba who in a flash turned away from his marker and forced a good near-post save from Volkan with a snap shot.

Just past the half-hour, the Turks won their first two corners of the game, the first stretched Chelsea but was eventually cleared, the second was punched away by a pressured Cudicini.

Drogba could have done better when the visitors broke with men to spare soon after and there was a brief scare on 37 minutes when Carvalho air-kicked his clearance from Aurelio's ball in. The follow-up cross was testing but drifted beyond the strikers and out.

A minute from the break, Drogba was denied a goal when Lampard, who initially started the move, took a return and weighted a perfect ball through the backline to the Ivorian. As he tried to go wide of the keeper, Volkan got in a saving touch and the hugely-promising moment had passed.

Avram Grant's men had to settle for a single away-goal lead at the interval from what had been a half of domination. Kezman, on his own upfront, had been a near spectator.

The second half started out in similar vein with Drogba driving into the area before he was crowded out but then Onder Turaci sent over a good cross that was glanced wide of the far post by Fenerbahçe's Alex.

Eight minutes into the half, Zico made a change. Ugur Boral, who had given Sevilla's Daniel Alves a hard time in the previous round, was removed from the left side and replaced by Kazim-Richards - the former Sheffield United player known as Kazim-Kazim in this corner of Europe.

Fenerbahçe pressed well for a while but then Carvalho bravely headed wide as a ball evaded both the defence and Terry at the far post. Ballack struck a 57th minute shot sweetly that Volkan dived to save.

Alex tried his luck for the home side after 63 minutes but Cudicini saved easily. He was powerless a minute later as the best defence in the competition was breeched by a simple ball over the top from Aurelio. Kazim-Kazim ran behind Carvalho and slammed the ball home.

An atmosphere that had fallen a little flat came alive once more but Chelsea nearly re-established the lead straight away. It took another Volkan save to keep out Ballack's first time shot after Lampard had played him in.

Drogba, not enjoying his best night in front of goal, looped a well-positioned free-kick over.

Kezman was withdrawn on 71 minutes having not had a single opportunity to score against his former side.

On 74 minutes there was a sigh of relief when Dievid made a hash of his shot when found unmarked at the back post. A minute later Grant made his first change, Mikel on for Lampard.

Six minutes later, the Turks took the lead with a goal out of nowhere. It was redemption time for Deivid, his rocket from 30 yards flying beyond the reach of Cudicini and into the top left corner.

Drogba curled a shot beyond the angle before with five minutes left Anelka came on for Joe Cole to a hostile greeting.

Essien's touch in the box could have been better when Anelka crossed from the right as we pressed for an equaliser.

But it was not to be.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cudicini; Essien, Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack, Makelele, Lampard (Mikel 74); J Cole (Anelka 85), Drogba, Malouda.
Scorer Deivid o.g 12.

Fenerbahçe (4-2-3-1): Team: Volkan Demirel; Onder Turaci, Lugano, Edu, Vedersen; Aurelio, Maldonado; Deivid, Alex, Ugur Boral (Kazim-Kazim 53); Kezman (Semih Senturk 71).
Scorer Kazim-Kazim 64, Deivid 80.


This game can be seen in full on Chelsea TV at 11pm on Thursday. Highlights will be available on Chelsea Plus.