Playing Chelsea in London holds no fear for Porto

LISBON, Feb 22 (Reuters) Porto believe they can beat any team on the day after a fine performance in the 1-1 draw against Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in the Champions League.

The English team hold the upper hand with the away goal scored by Andriy Shevchenko in the first leg of the first knockout round tie in Portugal on Wednesday.

''They (Chelsea) are very strong at home...(but) after everything we did in this game, we have the capacity to play against any world team,'' Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira was quoted today as saying.

Porto were worthy of the draw, their former Champions League-winning coach Mourinho said.

''The game obliged us to be more pragmatic,'' he said, referring to the loss through injury during the match of captain John Terry and winger Arjen Robben.

''Porto didn't deserve to lose,'' added Mourinho, who steered the Portuguese side to the trophy in 2004.

''I wouldn't say that I am 100 percent confident that we will beat Porto but I am confident,'' Mourinho, looking ahead to the second leg on March 6, told reporters.

''I am calm because I am used to it, every week we lose a player,'' he added of an injury-plagued season.

Portuguese media see the tie as poised on a knife edge with a headline in sports daily O Jogo, in reference to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, saying: ''Russian roulette in London''.

''It's not impossible (to win in London),'' wrote sports daily A Bola, highlighting the strong performance of winger Quaresma, who saw a shot hit the bar.

Midfielder Raul Meireles put Porto ahead in the 12th minute and former AC Milan striker Shevchenko equalised four minutes later with his 58th goal in European club competitions.

REUTERS PM PM2049