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Chelsea routs Stoke 7-0 to boost league title bid
Source: Agencies |
April 26, 2010, Monday
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CHELSEA'S Premier League title bid was boosted by a 7-0 demolition of Stoke yesterday with Salomon Kalou hitting a hat trick and Frank Lampard scoring twice.
Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda added late goals to give Chelsea a one-point lead over defending champion Manchester United and a goal-difference advantage of eight.
"I thought 7-0 was a fair scoreline because of the chances we created and how we played," Lampard said. "The goal difference is to our advantage now but we still have to go and win our last two games."
Chelsea will win its first championship title since 2006 if it beats Liverpool and Wigan in its last two games.
"I would have preferred to keep two or three goals for next week," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "But I am very calm because our destiny is in our hands."
Chelsea was briefly toppled from the summit on Saturday when United beat Tottenham 3-1. But the west London club produced an emphatic and classy response, with Stoke manager Tony Pulis conceding that his side was "murdered."
Chelsea captain John Terry, who was suspended after being sent off at Spurs, was not missed in central defense with goalkeeper Petr Cech never troubled.
Chelsea left back Ashley Cole had a comfortable return to action, playing the full match after 10 weeks out with a broken ankle.
Stoke's afternoon began badly when Abdoulaye Faye limped off in the 10th minute with a thigh injury. But his replacement, Ryan Shawcross, immediately made a decisive block as Cole hit the rebound after goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen had parried Lampard's 30-meter (yard) strike.
Soon after, Drogba had a header saved by Sorensen and then volleyed over. The Ivory Coast striker provided the assist in the 24th minute for Chelsea's first goal, with Kalou almost on the ground six meters (yards) out as he met Drogba's cross.
Kalou - starting due to Deco's illness - was on target again seven minutes later when Lampard's shot was parried by Sorensen, sliding to send the ball over the line with his left boot but catching Sorensen's elbow with his right boot.
The Denmark goalkeeper was carried off on a scretcher with a dislocated elbow. He could miss the World Cup if he requires an operation.
Kalou played a part in Chelsea's third goal, earning a penalty after being hauled down by Robert Huth. Lampard slotted the spot kick into the bottom right corner past replacement goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
The fourth goal came in the 68th when Kalou charged down the right flank. Begovic blocked the initial shot from a tight angle shot, but Kalou fired the rebound into the net.
"Every time he comes on, he makes a difference," Lampard said. "He's one of those players in a squad that you need because he scores goals."
A fifth should have come when Nicolas Anelka crossed to Malouda at the far post, but the France winger sliced wide.
Lampard was on target, though, in the 81st when he volleyed past Begovic after latching on to substitute Sam Hutchinson's cross.
As Stoke completely capitulated - with the team's Premier League survival already guaranteed - Sturridge was fed by Drogba and rounded Begovic before slotting home. Malouda turned home Joe Cole's cross in the 89th.
"We played very well, showing good play and physical condition," Ancelotti said. "I'm very, very happy because there was a little bit of pressure on us before the game, but from the beginning the team was in fantastic form."
Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda added late goals to give Chelsea a one-point lead over defending champion Manchester United and a goal-difference advantage of eight.
"I thought 7-0 was a fair scoreline because of the chances we created and how we played," Lampard said. "The goal difference is to our advantage now but we still have to go and win our last two games."
Chelsea will win its first championship title since 2006 if it beats Liverpool and Wigan in its last two games.
"I would have preferred to keep two or three goals for next week," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "But I am very calm because our destiny is in our hands."
Chelsea was briefly toppled from the summit on Saturday when United beat Tottenham 3-1. But the west London club produced an emphatic and classy response, with Stoke manager Tony Pulis conceding that his side was "murdered."
Chelsea captain John Terry, who was suspended after being sent off at Spurs, was not missed in central defense with goalkeeper Petr Cech never troubled.
Chelsea left back Ashley Cole had a comfortable return to action, playing the full match after 10 weeks out with a broken ankle.
Stoke's afternoon began badly when Abdoulaye Faye limped off in the 10th minute with a thigh injury. But his replacement, Ryan Shawcross, immediately made a decisive block as Cole hit the rebound after goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen had parried Lampard's 30-meter (yard) strike.
Soon after, Drogba had a header saved by Sorensen and then volleyed over. The Ivory Coast striker provided the assist in the 24th minute for Chelsea's first goal, with Kalou almost on the ground six meters (yards) out as he met Drogba's cross.
Kalou - starting due to Deco's illness - was on target again seven minutes later when Lampard's shot was parried by Sorensen, sliding to send the ball over the line with his left boot but catching Sorensen's elbow with his right boot.
The Denmark goalkeeper was carried off on a scretcher with a dislocated elbow. He could miss the World Cup if he requires an operation.
Kalou played a part in Chelsea's third goal, earning a penalty after being hauled down by Robert Huth. Lampard slotted the spot kick into the bottom right corner past replacement goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
The fourth goal came in the 68th when Kalou charged down the right flank. Begovic blocked the initial shot from a tight angle shot, but Kalou fired the rebound into the net.
"Every time he comes on, he makes a difference," Lampard said. "He's one of those players in a squad that you need because he scores goals."
A fifth should have come when Nicolas Anelka crossed to Malouda at the far post, but the France winger sliced wide.
Lampard was on target, though, in the 81st when he volleyed past Begovic after latching on to substitute Sam Hutchinson's cross.
As Stoke completely capitulated - with the team's Premier League survival already guaranteed - Sturridge was fed by Drogba and rounded Begovic before slotting home. Malouda turned home Joe Cole's cross in the 89th.
"We played very well, showing good play and physical condition," Ancelotti said. "I'm very, very happy because there was a little bit of pressure on us before the game, but from the beginning the team was in fantastic form."
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