Ends barren run to delight feverish Sarri

heading in Emerson Palmieri’s cross at the near post.

Giroud said: “It’s true, I was hoping to score soon because I came back late from the World Cup and lacked a bit of luck. You always have to work hard and keep the faith.”

Sarri added: “I’m pleased for him.

“He’s a very important player for us, because he’s a very, very useful player for the team.

“But I know very well strikers want to score.

“And so for his confidence I think it’s very important. But, I don’t want him to be worried about scoring, because for us he’s very important, very useful.”

Chelsea would have liked to score another, but instead it was BATE pressing late on.

“They played very well,” Sarri added. “They were unlucky. I think they could draw the match.”

Chelsea have qualified with two matches to spare, the November 29 home clash with Greece’s PAOK and the December 13 trip to Vidi in Hungary.

Sarri is now hungry for the additional point needed to secure top spot in the group, to postpone thoughts of Europe until the last32 stage.

He added: “The first target in this competition was to qualify. Now we want the second target, to win our group.

“It’s very important because then we can talk again about this competition in February. In February we will have for sure another target, but the first one is very important.” Long wait: Olivier Giroud after his winner last night