The 27-year-old, forced to sit out Ghana's World Cup campaign due to the injury, slotted home on the hour to give Carlo Ancelotti's side a winning start to their pre-season games.

"It was an important return," Ancelotti told www.chelseafc.com. "He came back very well and played very well. He is a fantastic player. We missed him last season and we hope he can do the best for this season.

Essien was joined in an otherwise youthful starting XI by fellow first-teamers Petr Cech, Alex and John Obi Mikel Obi.

"We had a good performance and played good football," the Italian continued.

"We had the possibility to see young players from our academy and this is a good thing for us and also for them to be involved in the first team."

Liverpool's friendly against Al-Hilal in Switzerland was called off after the pitch was deemed unplayable following heavy rain.

It means new Reds boss Roy Hodgson will have to wait until Wednesday, when they face Swiss side Grasshoppers, for his first game since taking over from Rafael Benitez on July 1.

Newcastle enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory at Carlisle thanks to goals from Leon Best, Nile Ranger and Haris Vuckic.

Boudewijn Zenden's strike seven minutes from time secured Sunderland a 1-0 triumph at Darlington.

The Black Cats' afternoon was marred, however, by a groin injury which forced midfielder Lee Cattermole to limp off.

"Lee was feeling his groin so we brought him off as a precaution," Sunderland assistant manager Eric Black told www.safc.com

"We'll have a look tomorrow and he'll get some treatment. There was no point risking him."

Wolves' new boys Geoffrey Mujangi Bia and Stephen Fletcher were on target in a 3-0 victory at Bohemians.

Jody Craddock opened the scoring after five minutes before Fletcher, a summer signing from Burnley, doubled their advantage just after the hour and then Mujangi Bia, on loan from Charleroi, sealed a comfortable win in stoppage time.

Jason Roberts and Steven Nzonzi netted in either half to clinch Blackburn a 2-0 win at Blue Square Premier newcomers Fleetwood Town.

mfl

Tottenham opened their pre-season tour of the United States with a goalless draw against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Spurs welcomed back Carlo Cudicini, who was making his first start since being involved in a motorcycle accident last November, and the former Chelsea goalkeeper was called upon to make several decent saves.

Robbie Keane, back from his loan spell at Celtic last season, had the ball in the back of the net early on when he tapped in Jermaine Jenas' drilled effort but the Irishman was judged to have wandered offside.

Gareth Bale, who had been one of the better performers, gave Tottenham a scare when he went down clutching his ankle late in the second half but he was able to continue.