Chelsea have one foot in semis as tactics pay off Chelsea are 90 minutes away from a probable Champions League semi-final against Benfica as caretaker coach Roberto Di Matteo got his tactics spot on during a 1-0 win at the Estadio da Luz against Benfica last night. Fernando Torres has hardly been firing them in from all angles but he has been a provider of several important assists this season, and his lovely dink to set up Salomon Kalou gave Chelsea a priceless victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Torres charged down the right wing and produced a precise chipped cross for the Ivorian striker to slide home for the only goal. Apart from that, chances were few and far between, although David Luiz did well to block an Oscar Cardozo header on the line and Juan Mata hit the post after rounding the goalkeeper but was unable to score from a tight angle. However, Di Matteo - who made a surprising team selection by picking Torres instead of Didier Drogba and leaving the likes of Frank Lampard, Daniel Sturridge and Gary Cahill on the bench - will be delighted with the result, which makes Chelsea heavy favourites to progress to the semi-final after the second leg at Stamford Bridge a week tonight. Di Matteo said: "Overal, it was a great team performance. It wasn't a gamble [to pick Kalou, who has hardly played], sometimes in life you have to take a risk. We have had a lot of stick but we are doing it for ourselves and the fans. Chelsea's former Porto midfielder Raul Meireles may face a Uefa investigation after making an alleged gesture to Benfica fans who were taunting him. In last night's other Champions League tie, former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be delighted with Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Apoel Nicosia. The goals came in the last 16 minutes from Karim Benzema (2) and Kaka.