Costa strike keeps Chelsea on top
Print Edition
DIEGO Costa struck late to give Chelsea a 1-0 victory over West Brom yesterday and extend its winning run to nine Premier League games.
Chelsea struggled to break down its opponent for long periods but the determined Costa took advantage of a defensive error to produce a sublime winner 15 minutes from time.
Until that point West Brom had looked as though it would become the first visiting team to keep a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge this season, limiting the Blues to speculative long-range efforts for the most part.
The home side dominated possession from start to finish but it was West Brom that came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half. Chris Brunt had Thibaut Courtois sprawling to his right as his effort from the edge of the box went narrowly wide in the 19th minute, before Salomon Rondon had the Chelsea keeper similarly concerned as he came equally close just six minutes later.
Chelsea did tighten its grip on the game after those scares, but failed to create any clear chances with three David Luiz free kicks of varying accuracy representing their best efforts.
Antonio Conte introduced Willian and Cesc Fabregas shortly after the hour mark, switching to a more offensive formation and the move would ultimately pay off in the 76th.
Gareth McAuley seemed to be in control of a hopeful Fabregas pass down the right but hesitated for a moment, allowing the potent Costa to pounce and drive into the West Brom penalty area before curling his left-footed shot into the top corner.
The victory ensured both Chelsea and Costa returned to the top — the club of the Premier League and its striker in the division’s scoring charts, as he took his total to 12 goals for the campaign.
On Saturday, Jamie Vardy broke his three-month goal drought with a hat-trick as Premier League champion Leicester City sensationally inflicted a humiliating 4-2 defeat on Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Arsenal beat Stoke City 3-1.
Italian striker Stefano Okaka scored his first Watford goals as Walter Mazzarri’s side came from behind to beat Everton 3-2, leaving Ronald Koeman’s men with one win from 10 league games.
In Italy, Dries Mertens scored a hat-trick to lead revitalized Napoli to a 5-0 rout at leaky Cagliari in Serie A yesterday.
The Belgian broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when he scored with a shot on the turn before Napoli’s inspirational captain Marek Hamsik turned in a rebound on the stroke of halftime after Lorenzo Insigne headed against the bar.
Napoli is fourth in the table with 31 points. Cagliari is 12th and has shipped 37 goals,
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