Salomon Kalou of Chelsea celebrates scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Kalou scored either side of halftime at Stamford Bridge to deflate the struggling Spanish side before Frank Lampard's shot and a stoppage time own goal by Luis Perea completed a third victory from three matches for Chelsea in Group D.
Carlo Ancelotti's side, who went down at Aston Villa on Saturday to lose the lead in the Premier League, have nine points to second-placed Porto's six. Atletico are bottom with one point and face elimination.
Kalou, playing as a second striker alongside Nicolas Anelka took a while to warm to the task and was guilty of a terrible miss early on when he dragged a shot wide after being played in by Michael Ballack.
Atletico, who have started the Spanish season poorly, matched Chelsea for most of the first half, particularly in a lively opening spell when Uruguay striker Diego Forlan looked menacing. Twice he tried his luck from distance and also forced an acrobatic save from Chelsea keeper Petr Cech.
His striking partner Sergio Aguero wasted Atletico's best chance when he rolled Branislav Ivanovic easily but shot wastefully into the side-netting.
Atletico always looked vulnerable at the back and they fell behind after 41 minutes when Lampard sent Ashley Cole scuttling down the left and his inviting cross gave Kalou a chance he could not miss.
Seven minutes after halftime Kalou doubled the lead when he sprang high to head Lampard's deep corner past the exposed Sergio Asenjo who was given little help by his defenders.
Aguero then wasted another chance when he dithered too long after being played in on goal. As Chelsea took complete control, Lampard rifled in his side's third to snap a 10-game sequence without a goal for the England midfielder.
Atletico's miserable night was complete in stoppage time when Perea got the final touch to an inswinging freekick.
