London giants, Chelsea FC came from behind to beat
Sunderland 3-1 and lift the Premier League trophy on a
day of celebration, farewells and potential goodbyes.
The title was sealed with three matches to go after a
defeat of Crystal Palace and there was a strange
atmosphere on the day of Chelsea's coronation as a
Diego Costa penalty and two Loic Remy strikes
cancelled out Steven Fletcher's opener.
\
Drogba announced prior to kick off the match would be
his last for the Blues, while Petr Cech played in goal in
potentially his final appearance after 11 years as a
Chelsea player.
Dick Advocaat may also be leaving Sunderland after
steering them to safety at Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Drogba was, bizarrely, carried off by his team-mates
after 29 minutes in a pre-planned substitution.
Perhaps distracted by the celebrations, Chelsea were
already a goal down as Fletcher headed in Adam
Johnson's corner.
The Black Cats are the only side to have beaten Jose
Mourinho's Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier
League, having won there last term.
This was Mourinho's 98th home league game as Blues
boss and his side responded when Costa, Drogba's
replacement, equalised from the penalty spot for his 20th
Premier League goal this term.
Remy, another substitute, struck twice in the final 20
minutes to ensure a 15th win from 19 home games this
term.
Chelsea paraded many of their 2004-05 title-winning
squad prior to kick-off, although Frank Lampard was
saying his farewells to England with Manchester City.
That was Mourinho's first Premier League and Chelsea's
first championship in 50 years and perhaps he was
making a point to his current squad, who he said on
Friday had a long way to go to become great.
Another point was made by a banner in the Matthew
Harding End which read: "Players come and go. Legends
last forever."
Drogba is revered after an eight-year first spell which
yielded 157 goals in 341 appearances and which
concluded with the memorable Champions League win
in Munich three years ago.
His season-long second spell has been less fruitful, but
he has claimed the Capital One Cup and a fourth Premier
League title, Chelsea's first in five years.
Drogba captained the Blues in an emotional selection,
with Eden Hazard fit to start despite requiring
emergency dental surgery during the week.
The Belgian dazzled once more as he, along with
Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry started all 38 of
Chelsea's league games.
Terry completed the Sunderland clash to become only
the second outfield player to play every minute in a
Premier League season and win the title, after
Manchester United's Gary Pallister in 1992-93.
Sunderland were immediately under pressure as Vito
Mannone punched Willian's free-kick clear under
pressure from Ivanovic and then saved as Drogba tried
to divert Juan Cuadrado's cross in.
There were times when Cech – displaced by Thibaut
Courtois after a decade as number one – showed his
class, but whether a move to rivals Arsenal or
Manchester United is permitted remains to be seen.
He saved from Sebastian Larsson and Jermain Defoe
before being beaten by Fletcher's header after Johnson's
corner evaded Terry at the back post.
Drogba departed, but was soon left to rue not staying on
for a few more minutes as Cuadrado was felled by John
O'Shea. Costa converted the penalty.
Cuadrado then hobbled off with Remy on in his place,
before Cech denied Defoe again.
Hazard played a key role in Chelsea's second, bursting
forward before finding Remy, whose shot squirmed
under Mannone.
Fletcher headed wide as Sunderland sought a quick-fire
reply, but it was Chelsea who scored next as Nemanja
Matic's cross was tucked in at the near post by Remy
and the celebrations began in earnest.
(AFP)
No comments:
Post a Comment