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December 14, 2010

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Chelsea held to another draw

CHELSEA striker Didier Drogba missed a stoppage-time penalty as the stuttering champion's poor run continued with a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

Drogba came as a second-half substitute and scored his team's equalizer but he fluffed the chance to secure a dramatic victory when his weak spot kick was saved by Heurelho Gomes. The Spurs goalkeeper had been at fault for Chelsea's goal, allowing Drogba's shot to squirm through his grasp, and he gave away the penalty with a clumsy foul on Ramires.

Chelsea, on 31 points, has taken only six from its last seven matches but is still only one behind leaders Arsenal and Manchester City and level with Manchester United.

"We deserved to win the game, especially in the second half, we dominated them in the second half and that's more like the Chelsea we all know," Chelsea captain John Terry said. "Didier was brave enough to stand up and take it. You miss some you score some it was just one of those things. Playing like we did in the second half everything looked back to normal.

"The hunger and spirit and determination was much better today and that's what we want from a Chelsea side."

Spurs are fifth on 27 with Bolton Wanderers up to sixth on 26 after it beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 earlier.

Spurs went ahead after 15 minutes when Jermain Defoe picked out Roman Pavlyuchenko on the edge of the box with little obvious danger. The Russian's first touch took him clear of two defenders and he planted a low shot beyond Petr Cech.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti cut a frustrated figure on the touchline, shaking his head, half-heartedly waving his players forward and getting involved in an argument with Terry as he urged his captain to hold a higher line.

Gomes was on his mettle early in the second, though, turning away a shot by Drogba and acrobatically tipping over after the ball skidded off the head of Wilson Palacios.

Spurs center back Michael Dawson had looked solid on his first appearance in three months but he was at fault for the equalizer.

Drogba beat him to a long Cech clearance and was quicker to turn on to the loose ball but Gomes should still have saved the Ivorian's shot straight at him.

Chelsea brought on Frank Lampard for his first appearance since August only to see Drogba botch the penalty.

Having gone 16 years without a win against Chelsea at White Hart Lane, Spurs have now won three and drawn two of their last five meetings.




 

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