Torres breaks duck as Blues stay on United's tail
Source: Agencies |
April 25, 2011, Monday
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FERNANDO Torres finally scored his first goal for Chelsea on Saturday as the English Premier League champion beat West Ham United 3-0 to remain six points behind Manchester United after the leader had earlier beaten Everton 1-0 at Old Trafford.
The Spaniard came off the bench to score Chelsea's second six minutes from time - his first goal in his 14th appearance for the west London club he joined from Liverpool for 50 million pounds (US$82.81 million) in January.
"I have had 14 games waiting for a goal, which was not the beginning I was expecting when I signed for a massive team like this," Torres told the BBC. "There will be less pressure on me now. Now we can try and finish the season as we all want."
It was a great response by Chelsea in the title race after a late header by Mexico striker Javier Hernandez, nicknamed Little Pea, ended Everton's resistance six minutes from time at Old Trafford and briefly put United nine points ahead.
United, which visits Schalke 04 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal tomorrow, has 73 points to the 67 of Chelsea. Third-placed Arsenal, which was at Bolton Wanderers yesterday, has 64.
Manchester City, which was visiting Blackburn Rovers today, is fourth on 56 ahead of Tottenham Hotspur with 55 after it could only draw 2-2 at home with West Bromwich Albion.
Sixth-placed Liverpool is now only three points further back after thrashing Birmingham City 5-0 at Anfield, helped by a Maxi Rodriguez hat-trick.
The day's scorching heat was replaced by a thunderstorm for the evening game at Stamford Bridge and for long periods Chelsea struggled to cope with the awkward conditions and some spirited play by its lowly London rival.
Chelsea grabbed the first goal at the end of the first half when Frank Lampard banged in a cross from Ashley Cole.
Center back David Luiz rattled the bar with a 25-meter piledriver before Torres came off the bench in the 76th minute and, eight minutes later, swept in his first goal.
The Spaniard. who was mobbed by his teammates, then set up Florent Malouda for the third.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said it had been a perfect day. "Everyone expected Fernando to score and finally he scored and for him from today will be a new life," the Italian told ESPN
Elsewhere, it was: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Fulham 1; Sunderland 4, Wigan Athletic 2; Blackpool 1, Newcastle United 1; and Aston Villa 1, Stoke City 1.
The Spaniard came off the bench to score Chelsea's second six minutes from time - his first goal in his 14th appearance for the west London club he joined from Liverpool for 50 million pounds (US$82.81 million) in January.
"I have had 14 games waiting for a goal, which was not the beginning I was expecting when I signed for a massive team like this," Torres told the BBC. "There will be less pressure on me now. Now we can try and finish the season as we all want."
It was a great response by Chelsea in the title race after a late header by Mexico striker Javier Hernandez, nicknamed Little Pea, ended Everton's resistance six minutes from time at Old Trafford and briefly put United nine points ahead.
United, which visits Schalke 04 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal tomorrow, has 73 points to the 67 of Chelsea. Third-placed Arsenal, which was at Bolton Wanderers yesterday, has 64.
Manchester City, which was visiting Blackburn Rovers today, is fourth on 56 ahead of Tottenham Hotspur with 55 after it could only draw 2-2 at home with West Bromwich Albion.
Sixth-placed Liverpool is now only three points further back after thrashing Birmingham City 5-0 at Anfield, helped by a Maxi Rodriguez hat-trick.
The day's scorching heat was replaced by a thunderstorm for the evening game at Stamford Bridge and for long periods Chelsea struggled to cope with the awkward conditions and some spirited play by its lowly London rival.
Chelsea grabbed the first goal at the end of the first half when Frank Lampard banged in a cross from Ashley Cole.
Center back David Luiz rattled the bar with a 25-meter piledriver before Torres came off the bench in the 76th minute and, eight minutes later, swept in his first goal.
The Spaniard. who was mobbed by his teammates, then set up Florent Malouda for the third.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said it had been a perfect day. "Everyone expected Fernando to score and finally he scored and for him from today will be a new life," the Italian told ESPN
Elsewhere, it was: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Fulham 1; Sunderland 4, Wigan Athletic 2; Blackpool 1, Newcastle United 1; and Aston Villa 1, Stoke City 1.
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