Chelsea twice surrendered the lead to gain a point that will be much more welcome at Stamford Bridge, and Arsenal for that matter, than it will for Tottenham. This was a must-win game for AVB and his cohorts, but sadly they had to settle for a point in a buzzing encounter that means Champions League qualification is now out of their hands.
Teams:
Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole, Ramires, Luiz, Oscar (Benayoun 84), Mata, Hazard (Moses 73), Torres.
Tottenham: Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto, Parker, Huddlestone, Lennon (Sigurdsson 62), Bale, Holtby (Dempsey 70), Adebayor.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Chelsea were, however, the superior side and should have put Tottenham to bed on numerous occasions. We had the chances to do so, but in the end had to settle for a point after Sigurdsson levelled with ten minutes left.
It all started so well. Chelsea won a corner on the right in the 10th minute and duly went one up. As the ball was whipped in, Spurs are all over the shop, and Cahill nodded a header goalwards from eight yards. His effort was going fractionally wide, but Oscar’s was on hand at the far post who glanced it home with his head for his second headed goal of the season. Good lad and a needed goal that calmed the nerves in a blistering atmosphere.
Six minutes later, we could have been two up. Chelsea were awarded a free kick, this time Luiz sent the ball out right to Azpilicueta, who was given acres on the wing. He slid a ball into the centre to the impressive Juan Mata who smacked his shot over the bar from about 12 yards.
In the 26th minute, Spurs were level, some 19 seconds after Chelsea had a corner. The ball was swung into box from the left and it broke to the edge of the area. Eden Hazard had a shot, but the ball was cleared upfield, where Spurs broke down the inside left. Adebayor, from some 30 yards out, spotted Cech marginally off his line, and bent a superb effort into the top-right corner. Great goal in fairness – Spurs back in with a hope, despite the home side being much better.
Ramires then put Chelsea ahead with six minutes left of what was a good first half. Torres was allowed a bit of space down the right, and with a cheeky bit of skill drew Vertonghen towards him before poking a ball between the Spurs defender and Dawson. This allowed Ramires to skip through and from the right-hand edge of the D, curl a first-time effort into the bottom left. 2-1 to Chelsea, happy days.
A player as talented as Eden Hazard should have put Chelsea up 11 minutes after the restart when he scampered after a ball down the inside left. Dawson should cut it out, but allowed the Chelsea man to squirm into the box. Luckily for Spurs, Hazard slightly overrun the ball so he had to check his run which opened the goal up nicely. Instead of sweeping the ball past Lloris from the left-hand edge of the six-yard box, he leant back and scooped his effort over the bar. Chance gone.
Less than five minutes later, Chelsea had another good chance to bury Spurs when Mata found himself clear down the right. He rolled the ball inside for the onrushing Ramires, who had plenty of time to steady himself and pick his point on goal with only Lloris to beat. Unfortunately for Chelsea, his right foot gave way on the London turf at the crucial moment, over he went, and the game stayed at 2-1.
Hazard appeared to be limping a bit and Chelsea had to make their first change on 73 minutes when he trotted off to warm applause. Moses took his place.
Then, in the 80th minute, Spurs were level. Assou-Ekotto curled a ball from the left into Adebayor, just inside the area and with his back to goal, Adebayor back flicked it towards the onrushing Sigurdsson, who found himself in space and with only Cech to beat, which he duly did into the bottom right corner. Replays showed Adebayor was a touch offside as he received the pass from Assou-Ekotto. But the flag didn’t go up and Spurs were back in dream land again with a chance of snatching a vital win.
Bale had a chance with a free kick with a couple of minutes left, but Chelsea stood firm, and claimed a vital point.
So Chelsea nudge closer to next year’s Champions League, while Spurs stay on Arsenal’s shoulder. Neither manager seemed particularly unhappy as they shook hands: Spurs will be happy enough with a point after being second best for much of the game but they dug in staunchly to equalise twice, while Chelsea only (16 goal swings aside) need three more points to make sure of a place in the Champions League next season.
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