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Sport

Late goals help Chelsea in comeback win against unlucky Cardiff City

Chelsea
Cardiff (UK), March 31, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Late goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Ruben Loftus-Cheek helped Chelsea complete a thrilling comeback to beat Cardiff City 2-1 away in the English Premier League (EPL) on Sunday.

With Chelsea heading for an embarrassing defeat against third-bottom Cardiff, their captain Azpilicueta dragged them back into the match with a headed goal that appeared to be offside.

The visitors then completed the fightback when substitute Loftus-Cheek stormed in at the back post to plant a header in the bottom corner.

Maurizo Sarri’s Chelsea stayed sixth in the table with 60 points, level with fifth-placed Arsenal, who have played a game fewer, and a point behind Manchester United in fourth.

Cardiff’s plight looks increasingly bleak as they are now five points adrift of the safety zone with seven games remaining.

Chelsea, who started without talisman Eden Hazard and midfielder N’Golo Kante, struggled to create chances and failed to hit a single shot on target in the first half.

Aron Gunnarsson’s long-throws for striker Oumar Niasse troubled the Chelsea defence for the majority of the match and it was key to Cardiff’s breakthrough just after the interval.

The visitors failed to clear the delivery launched into the box, leaving midfielder Harry Arter to whip the ball back in for Victor Camarasa.

He fired a first-time finish into the top corner.

The hosts had two penalty kick appeals turned down, with defender Sean Morrison tugged down by Marcos Alonso and Antonio Rudiger in two separate incidents.

“We worked three weeks for this but to get let down by decisions… No major decisions went for us,” Cardiff manager Neil Warnock said.

“It’s the best league in the world but the worst officials. They don’t understand what is at stake. They shouldn’t make mistakes at this level.

“My players feel like they have been kicked in the teeth. We’ve been kicked so many times. I don’t deserve officials like that today. There is no excuse for that, it’s criminal.”

Cardiff next face a trip to second-placed Manchester City on Wednesday, while Chelsea host Brighton and Hove Albion.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Europa League: Giroud hat-trick leads Chelsea into quarter-finals

Hat-trick

London, March 14, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) A perfect hat-trick from Olivier Giroud helped Chelsea overcome Dynamo Kiev 5-0 on Thursday where they will be joined by Napoli and Valencia.

The London side cruised into the Europa League quarter-finals in style against their Ukrainian opponents.

Giroud, the tournament’s top scorer this season, got his seventh and eighth goals in the first half and Marcos Alonso tapped in a third from close range seconds before halftime.

French striker Giroud made it 4-0 after 59 minutes when he headed home from a Willian free kick and Callum Hudson-Odoi added a fifth to cap an 8-0 aggregate victory for the Premier League side.

The perfect hat-trick – goals with his left foot, right foot and a header – was Giroud’s first for Chelsea and the win was the London club’s ninth in 10 Europa League games this season.

Napoli beat Salzburg 3-0 at home last week and it looked like they had wrapped up the tie after 14 minutes when Arkadiusz Milik put them ahead with an acrobatic strike.

But the Austrians, whose unbeaten home run in Europe stretches back 17 games, fought back to win the match 3-1.

Munas Dabbur equalised with his eighth Europa League goal of the season.

Substitute Fredrik Gulbrandsen made it 2-1 win when he converted a low cross from Andreas Ulmer midway through the second half.

Christoph Leitgeb got Salzburg’s third in stoppage-time but the early away goal ensured Napoli went through 4-3 on aggregate.

In Krasnodar, it took the home side until the 85th minute to revive their hopes of a quarter-final place at the expense of Valencia.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, a spectacular strike from Shapi Suleymanov made it 2-2 on aggregate and would have put Krasnodar through on away goals.

However, Goncalo Guedes broke Russian hearts in stoppage-time to earn the Spaniards a dramatic victory.

Later on Thursday, Arsenal host Rennes trailing 3-1 from the first leg in France while Villarreal, who beat Zenit 3-1 in St Petersburg, face the Russians in Spain.

Benfica hope to overturn a 1-0 deficit at home to Dinamo Zagreb, Slavia Prague and Sevilla start level at 2-2 and Inter Milan against Eintracht Frankfurt is finely poised at 0-0.

The draw for the quarter-finals takes place on Friday. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

Hazard salvages point for Chelsea in 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton

Draw
London, March 10, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) An injury time goal from Eden Hazard salvaged a point for hosts Chelsea against a dogged Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League (EPL) on Sunday.

Raul Jimenez had put the visitors ahead with one of their only two shots on goal.

Hazard smashed the ball past Rui Patricio in the second minute of second half added time, after constant pressure from the home side, who are bidding for a top four place.

Chelsea had been stunned in the 57th minute when Jimenez burst out of defence with Diogo Jota and the pair sliced through Chelsea’s ranks.

The Portuguese laid off the ball from wide for Jimenez to slot home.

Patricio made a sharp save shortly afterwards from striker Gonzalo Higuain and another from Willian in the dying minutes.

Chelsea had 22 shots to the visitors’ two and also enjoyed 76 percent of possession.

The result leaves Chelsea in sixth, level with Arsenal and behind Manchester United who were playing each other later on Sunday.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Goalkeeper Arrizabalaga dropped as Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0

Chelsea

London, Feb. 27, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Chelsea put their tumultuous League Cup final defeat behind them to revive their top-four hopes with a 2-0 victory over stuttering Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Under-pressure manager Maurizio Sarri made the bold decision to drop goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in favour of Willy Caballero.

The Spaniard’s antics against Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday angered many at Stamford Bridge when he refused to be substituted.

But Chelsea showed they are still behind the Italian with a deserved victory over their London rivals thanks to Pedro’s opener midway through the second half and a comical Kieran Trippier own goal late on.

Chelsea remained in sixth spot, three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal having played a game less.

Third-placed Tottenham’s slim title hopes now look extinguished after a second successive league defeat and they could have few complaints after a disappointing derby display.

Gonzalo Higuain was denied by the post early on for Chelsea while Spurs midfielder Harry Winks rattled the crossbar just before halftime.

Pedro fired Chelsea in front in the 57th minute, turning inside Toby Alderweireld before beating Hugo Lloris from a tight angle.

Tottenham huffed and puffed but shot themselves in the foot in the 84th minute when Trippier and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris got in a tangle and the full back’s attempted back pass rolled in.

Tottenham are four points above Arsenal, who they host on Saturday, and five points above Manchester United. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Felix Ajide

 

Sport

Manchester City crush Chelsea 6-0 as Aguero scores another hat-trick

Destruction
Manchester (UK), Feb. 10, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Manchester City’s on-fire striker Sergio Aguero struck his second hat-trick in a week as the champions ruthlessly destroyed woeful Chelsea in a 6-0 win at The Etihad on Sunday.

The title-holders return to the top of the English Premier League (EPL) with the victory, level on 65 points with Liverpool but ahead on goals difference.

They have however played one more game than their rivals.

Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Leicester City 3-1 earlier on Sunday, are five points behind.

Aguero, who scored a hat-trick seven days ago against Arsenal, has now equalled Alan Shearer’s record of 11 Premier League hat-tricks.

Raheem Sterling fired Manchester City ahead in the fourth minute with a side-foot finish after a quick free-kick from Kevin De Bruyne had caught the Chelsea defence napping.

After Aguero had somehow missed an open goal from two metres, the Argentine promptly beat goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a blistering strike from 25 metres.

A poor header towards his own goal from Chelsea’s Ross Barkley gifted Aguero with City’s third goal and then a low drive from Ilkay Gundogan made it 4-0 after 25 minutes.

Following the break, Aguero, who also became City’s top scorer in league games, headed against the bar.

He then completed his hat-trick from the penalty kick spot after Sterling had been brought down by Cesar Azpilicueta.

Sterling completed the rout, turning in a low cross from Oleksandr Zinchenko in the 80th.

The defeat was Chelsea’s worst since their 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in 1991. (Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

EPL: Higuain scores twice as Chelsea hammer Huddersfield 5-0

Drubbing
London, Feb. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) New Chelsea striker Gonzalo Higuain scored his first two English Premier League goals on Saturday, sharing the spoils with Eden Hazard in a 5-0 victory over bottom side Huddersfield Town.

The victory eased the pressure on coach Maurizio Sarri after a mid-week disasterous showing against Bournemouth.

Higuain, who arrived in London last month, received a neat side-footed pass from N’Golo Kante in the 16th minute and squeezed a shot between goalkeeper Jonas Loessl and the near post.

Just before halftime Hazard converted a penalty kick for his 11th league goal of the season.

Elias Kachunga had brought down Chelsea fullback Cesar Azpilicueta on the edge of the area and referee Paul Tierney had pointed at the penalty kick spot.

The Belgian then got his 12th in the 67th minute by rounding Loessl and coolly slotting home from a Ross Barkley pass.

Two minutes later Higuain added his second, a looping shot which took a deflection before hitting the back of the net.

David Luiz made it five in the 86th minute, his header helped into the goal by the hapless Kachunga’s outstretched foot.

Chelsea had lost their previous two league games, including a 4-0 drubbing by mid-table Bournemouth on Wednesday.

The defeats sparked talks that coach Maurizio Sarri might become the latest in a string of their managers to be fired after just a few months.

But the win took Chelsea back to fourth place above Arsenal, who play at Manchester City on Sunday.

Huddersfield on the other hand remain rooted to the basement, six points behind second-bottom Fulham.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Hazard can leave Chelsea if he wants, says Sarri

Hazard

London, Jan. 30, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has said Eden Hazard is free to leave the club if he wants to but the Italian hopes the forward stays at Stamford Bridge.

Hazard has been linked with a move to Spanish side Real Madrid in recent months.

The Belgium international further fuelled the speculation when he said in October 2018 that it was his dream to play for the reigning European champions.

Chelsea are looking to renew his contract, which expires next season, and the west London side risk losing him for free in the close season in 2020 if he does not extend his current deal.

“Eden is 28. If he wants to go, I think he has to go,” Sarri told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League clash at Bournemouth.

“Of course, I hope the opposite, I hope he wants to stay here. He has the potential to be the best player in Europe at the moment.”

Hazard has 10 goals and 10 assists in the league this season, often playing up front in a ‘false nine’ role to lead the attack.

But Sarri might play him on the wing again after the arrival of Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain.

“It’s my job to improve him and put him in a position to do his best,” Sarri added. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Maharazu Ahmed

 

Sport

Arsenal revive EPL top-four hopes with win over Chelsea

Arsenal
London, Jan. 19, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Arsenal revived their hopes of a top-four finish in the 2018/2019 English Premier League (EPL) by securing a comfortable 2-0 derby win at home to toothless Chelsea on Saturday.

First half goals by Alexandre Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny gave the Gunners the win which helped to cut the gap between them and Chelsea to three points.

Chelsea’s lack of punch in the final third of the pitch was evident again as they enjoyed 64 percent of possession without ever really threatening to unlock Arsenal’s defence.

Arsenal were far sharper as an attacking force and deserved more than Lacazette’s superb 14th-minute effort and skipper Koscielny’s scruffy goal in a scintillating opening period.

But those goals, and a resolute defensive display after the break, proved enough to give Arsenal only their third home league win against Chelsea in 10 years.

It also meant that they moved back into fifth place on goal difference with 44 points, three behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

“Today we needed to win. We made a mistake last week (at West Ham). So, today’s game was a six-pointer,” Koscielny said.

“If we lose we will be nine points (off Chelsea) and if we win the gap will be just three points.’’

When the ball was played in Koscielny was unmarked but he mistimed his header, only for the ball to spin off his shoulder and beyond the reach of Chelsea’s goalkeeper.

Arsenal restricted Chelsea in the second half as the visitors enjoyed the lion’s share of possession without ever opening up Arsenal’s defence.

Not even the introduction of former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, cheered by the home crowd, could liven up Chelsea’s blunt attack.

Chelsea attack has now managed six goals fewer than any other top-six side this season.

The one sour note for Arsenal was the sight of Spanish right back Hector Bellerin leaving the field on a stretcher with what appeared to be a knee injury.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Fabregas leaves Chelsea to join Monaco

Fabregas

Paris, Jan. 11, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas has joined Ligue 1 side Monaco from English Premier League side Chelsea, the two clubs said on Friday.

“Cesc Fabregas has today completed a permanent transfer to Monaco,” Chelsea said on their website, just as Ligue 1 Monaco tweeted a video of Fabregas with a voice-over saying “now it’s time”.

The midfielder’s switch to the Ligue 1 club brings the curtain down on his four-and-a-half- year Chelsea career, a period in which he won four major trophies.

These are two English Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup, during a period when the Spaniard made 198 appearances for Chelsea and scored 22 goals.

“We thank Cesc for his wonderful service and wish him the very best of luck for the next chapter in what has been a fantastic career,’’ Chelsea FC wrote.

Fabregas arrived at Stamford Bridge as a 2012 European Championship and 2010 World Cup winner with Spain.

The midfielder departs England with the second-highest number of assists in Premier League history, 111, after recently making his 350th appearance in the competition during the game against Southampton.

He was also the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League assists, achieving the feat in just 293 matches.

Fabregas signed in the summer of 2014 as Jose Mourinho sought to add a creative presence in midfield.

This was after the departure of club legend Frank Lampard at the end of the previous season.

Fabregas is now joining up with Thierry Henry, a former teammate and current manager of the municipality club, who was the Spaniard’s captain at Arsenal.

He had joined Chelsea from Arsenal, having moved to England from La Masia, FC Barcelona’s youth academy, at age 16 in September 2003.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Chelsea’s Sarri rules out signing striker, targets winger

Chelsea’s Sarri rules out signing striker, targets winger

Signing

London, Dec. 2, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Striker Olivier Giroud’s ankle injury will not force Chelsea’s hand in the January transfer window but the club could explore the possibility of signing a winger, manager Maurizio Sarri has said.

No date was set for Giroud’s return after he twisted his ankle against Crystal Palace last weekend.

Sarri remains pleased with his options up front in Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard.

“We have Morata and Hazard can play very well in this position as we have seen in the last matches. So, I think at the moment I don’t need another striker,” he told reporters.

Sarri, however, has a selection headache on the flanks, with Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi unavailable due to hamstring injuries.

Versatile English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also struggling with a back problem and is a doubt for Chelsea’s home league meeting with Southampton on Wednesday.

“Now we are in trouble with Pedro out, Hudson-Odoi out and Loftus-Cheek is a midfielder but can play as a winger in two-three matches.

“So I have options for the striker, but at the moment I have no option for the wingers,” Sarri said. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Salif Atojoko

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