Summary
Chelsea move up to third in the Barclays Premier League after coming from
behind to beat Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.
With a third game in six days, it was never likely to be a vintage
performance from the Blues and so it proved, with few chances created by either
side, Sunderland sitting deep and looking to counter.
It looked as though it might take something unusual to break the deadlock,
and a minute before half-time Sunderland went in front when Cesar Azpilicueta
turned John O' Shea's header into his own net.
The visitors' lead would last just two minutes however, as when Chelsea,
and substitute Fernando Torres came out from the break, he set up Oscar, whose
shot was saved but then deflected into the net by Sunderland defender Matt
Kilgallon.
The winner eight minutes later was no less fortuitous, Branislav Ivanovic
unknowingly turning home David Luiz's wayward shot from a corner.
What matters though is the three points accumulated to take us back above
Spurs, who drew at home to Everton, and our third consecutive victory at the
Bridge inside a week.
Team news
Rafael Benitez made five changes from the side which started against Rubin
Kazan on Thursday. In came Ivanovic for John Terry at the back, John Mikel Obi
for Frank Lampard in midfield, Eden Hazard and Oscar for Yossi Benayoun and
Victor Moses behind the striker, and Demba Ba for Fernando Torres up front.
Petr Cech was captain.
New Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio made three changes for his first game.
Titus Bramble, James McClean and Danny Graham were out, Kilgallon, Sebastian
Larsson and Connor Wickham in.
First half
Stephane Sessegnon, so often Sunderland's main hope of goals under Di
Canio's predecessor Martin O' Neill, was first to find an opportunity, slamming
his shot into the side netting three minutes in.
Chelsea's rotated side was taking a little time to settle in, but Ba almost
found a way in after a link-up between Ramires and Mata, only for O' Shea to
block.
Eighteen minutes in David Luiz was heavily involved at both ends, first
seeing his free-kick blocked before Sunderland scrambled the ball away and
broke, eventually working the ball to Adam Johnson inside the Chelsea area,
where the Brazilian bravely blocked the England man's curling shot with his
head, denying a probable goal for the visitors.
Chelsea v Sunderland
Ba required treatment after being clattered by Craig Gardner, who was
booked, and in his absence a Ramires header brought a first save of the game
from Black Cats goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet. It had taken 26 minutes, in which
time Chelsea had boasted much of the possession and territory, but achieved
little in the way of breaking the deep-lying visitors down.
Sunderland had, by the looks of it, come for a point and were reluctant to
commit too many men forward on their rare breaks.
Hazard's bouncing header brought more action straightforward action for
Mignolet, but there would be a twist in the tale before half-time.
A swift break allowed Wickham a shooting opportunity, but he saw his shot
deflected behind by David Luiz. From the resultant corner, O' Shea rose highest
to flick towards goal and in trying to clear Azpilicueta could only divert it
into the top corner.
Chelsea v Sunderland
It was the worst way possible to end what in truth had been a pretty drab
first period.
Second half
Not fully recovered from the Gardner tackle, Ba was replaced at the break
by Torres, whose impact from the bench was immediate.
A minute after his introduction, the Spaniard picked the ball up on the
left and with space to run into, drove hard at the Sunderland defence, squaring
for unmarked Oscar inside the area. The midfielder's initial shot was well
saved by Mignolet, but cannoned back towards goal and in off the legs of
Kilgallon.
Chelsea v Sunderland
It had taken two bizarre goals to bring the game to life, and we did not
have to wait long for a third. Fortunately it came Chelsea's way, as when the
ball dropped loose at a corner, David Luiz's shot took a heavy ricochet off
Ivanovic, and spun into Mignolet's bottom-left corner.
Mignolet had to push another deflected effort, this time from Mata, around
the post on the hour, and then saw Oscar's powerful half-volley shake the side
netting as the Blues sought a killer third goal.
Torres headed over after nice work from Mata and Oscar, while at the other
end Johnson curled well wide having beaten Mikel with a sharp burst of pace.
As the game moved into its final quarter, so Chelsea lost a little of the
control and momentum we previously had. Not that Sunderland were able to take
advantage, with Wickham too often isolated in attack and the ball rarely
sticking to his 6ft 4ins frame.
A late corner conceded by Mata provided them a rare opportunity but Cech
punched effectively clear, meaning all there was left to do was survive five
minutes of injury time before taking our place in the top three once more.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech (c); Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, David Luiz, Bertrand; Ramires, Mikel;
Oscar, Mata (Lampard 89), Hazard (Benayoun 84); Ba (Torres h-t).
Unused substitutes: Turnbull, Ferreira, Terry, Marin.
Goals Kilgallon own goal 46, Ivanovic 54
Sunderland (4-4-1-1): Mignolet; Bardsley, O'Shea (c), Kilgallon, Rose; Johnson, Gardner (Colback
81), N'Diaye, Larsson (McClean 70); Sessègnon; Wickham.
Unused substitutes: Westwood, Mangane, Laidler, Mandron, Graham.
Goals Azpilicueta own goal 45
Booked Gardner 25, Rose 62
Referee Neil Swarbrick
Crowd 41,500
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