Related News
Slick Chelsea blanks West Ham
Print Edition
ENGLISH Premier League leader Chelsea showed West Ham United no Christmas cheer yesterday with a one-sided 2-0 Boxing Day victory at home that enhanced its status as title favorite.
Goals in each half from defender John Terry and striker Diego Costa — his 13th of the campaign — earned Jose Mourinho’s side a win that enabled it to open up a provisional six-point lead over second-place Manchester City although the scoreline disguised a gulf in quality between the two London sides who were separated by only three places in the table.
Fourth-place West Ham was expected to provide a stern test after a run of five games without defeat, but despite hitting the woodwork late on, Sam Allardyce’s team was well beaten in what was the London rivals’ 100th encounter.
Midfielder Eden Hazard overcame a knock to start for Chelsea and he proved a bewitching presence as the hosts swarmed all over their opponents from the start at Stamford Bridge.
Oscar had gone close and visiting goalkeeper Adrian had parried from Gary Cahill and Willian by the time Terry broke the deadlock in the 31st minute, tapping in after Costa headed on Cesc Fabregas’s corner.
West Ham spent long periods of the first half penned inside its own area, with Adrian producing a one-handed save to thwart Nemanja Matic and Costa shooting over from a Branislav Ivanovic cross.
After Adrian had thwarted Hazard, Costa, whose goal tally had slowed in recent weeks, showed his pedigree to make 2-0 in the 62nd minute, gathering a pass from Hazard and sending Carl Jenkinson and James Collins the wrong way before drilling a left-foot shot into the bottom-right corner.
Oscar free-kick
Adrian tipped an Oscar free-kick over the bar and Fabregas curled wide, but although Chelsea had dominated, West Ham came close to snatching a goal when substitute Morgan Amalfitano dinked a shot against the post.
Chelsea, which has never lost a home league derby during Mourinho’s two spells in charge, has 45 points from 18 games, six more than champion Manchester City which was playing at West Bromwich Albion later yesterday, while third-place Manchester United hosts Newcastle United.
The traditional Boxing Day schedule means that all 20 English top-flight clubs are in action on the same day for the first time this season.
Earlier, West Ham poked fun at Mourinho with a tongue-in-cheek Twitter message ahead of the Stamford Bridge clash.
Mourinho had accused West Ham of employing overly defensive tactics following the 0-0 draw between the sides in January, saying Allardyce’s team had played “football from the 19th century”.
In response, West Ham posted a sepia-colored picture of a horse and cart on its Twitter page, accompanied by the caption: “The West Ham United team coach (and horse) has arrived at @chelseafc for today’s game #19thcenturyfootball”.
Mourinho backtracked on his comments on the eve of yesterday’s game against West Ham, saying his choice of words had been “silly”.
- 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.
