Cisse at the double as Magpies derail Chelsea’s unbeaten start
Print Edition
SUBSTITUTE Papiss Cisse scored twice as leader Chelsea’s hopes of completing the English Premier League season unbeaten were dashed by a 1-2 defeat at Newcastle United yesterday.
Cisse scored twice in the second half and despite captain Steven Taylor being sent off for Newcastle and Didier Drogba replying late on for Chelsea, Alan Pardew’s side held on for a third consecutive home win over Chelsea.
Newcastle’s victory prevented Chelsea from establishing a new club record of 24 games without a loss
Defeat for Jose Mourinho’s side, its first since the second leg of last season’s Champions League semifinal against Atletico Madrid, means champion Manchester City can close the gap to three points if it beats Everton at home later.
Mourinho recalled top scorer Diego Costa after he missed Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur through suspension and they started brightly, with Willian twice shooting narrowly wide.
But Newcastle defended stoutly and began to threaten, with Ayoze Perez slipping a clever pass through to Jack Colback in the 32nd minute, only for Thibaut Courtois to rush out and save.
John Mikel Obi spurned a good chance to put Chelsea ahead in the 57th when he headed wide from a Cesc Fabregas free-kick and within seconds, Newcastle took the lead.
Moussa Sissoko fed Sammy Ameobi on the left flank and after Gary Cahill failed to cut out the 22-year-old’s low cross, Senegal striker Cisse pounced to tap home from inside the six-yard box.
Mourinho sent on Andre Schuerrle, Drogba and Filipe Luis and with 12 minutes left, Eden Hazard saw a shot come back off the base of the right-hand post.
Once again, the Magpies were quick to exploit their good fortune. Colback’s pass freed Sissoko and although the France midfielder was unable to get a shot away, he managed to toe the ball square to the waiting Cisse, who swept home his second goal from 12 yards.
Taylor saw red moments later after being shown a second card for upending Schuerrle and Drogba halved the deficit from the ensuing free-kick by heading in Cesc Fabregas’s cross. But despite having to endure six nail-biting minutes of injury time, Newcastle survived.
Meanwhile, Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has described reports that he is set to spend up to 200 million pounds (US$312 million) in the transfer market as “disgusting” and “disrespectful”.
United spent around 150 million pounds in the close season on players, including British record signing Angel di Maria from Real Madrid, in an effort to rebound from a poor campaign when it failed to qualify for this season’s Champions League.
According to British media reports, the spending spree is set to continue with the club linked to moves for a number of high-profile talents.
Van Gaal, however, reacted angrily to the figures being bandied around for the money he has available to bolster his squad.
“I think it’s disgusting, always writing about numbers,” the Dutchman told reporters. “I don’t think that (United executive vice-chairman) Ed Woodward said anything about that; I don’t think I have said anything about that. It is disrespectful to my players and I don’t like to talk about it.”
United is fourth in the league and visits third-place Southampton tomorrow.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
