This was
supposed to be a serene homecoming for Chelsea, back at Stamford Bridge
for the first time as European champions, parading their expensive new
recruits.
In the end it
was a desperate scramble, featuring some awful goalkeeping mistakes and a
late goal from Fernando Torres, which ought to have been ruled offside.
But the effect
was the same. Ninety-five days after glory in Munich and the Blues
reached the summit of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in
21 months.
Match-winner: Fernando Torres pops up to score the decisive goal at Stamford Bridge
That scoring feeling: Torres (left) celebrates his strike with Frank Lampard (second right) and Ashley Cole (right)
Guthrie's And the new boys looked terrific.
Frank Lampard fired Chelsea ahead with an early penalty, won by the irrepressible Eden Hazard, before Pavel Pogrebnyak levelled and Petr Cech threw one into his own goal to put the visitors ahead.
Frank Lampard fired Chelsea ahead with an early penalty, won by the irrepressible Eden Hazard, before Pavel Pogrebnyak levelled and Petr Cech threw one into his own goal to put the visitors ahead.
Gary Cahill
equalised with the help of another goalkeeping blunder before Torres
pounced, nine minutes from time, and Branislav Ivanovic scored on the
break in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
If Roberto Di
Matteo is under orders to add a flourish to his winning formula and set
Russian pulses racing, then he is making stunning progress. No buses
were parked on Wednesday night.
From the very
first minute, Chelsea careered forward, sometimes with reckless
disregard for defensive duties and Hazard continued his explosive start
to life in England.
The game was
barely under way when the £32million winger burst clear and dragged a
shot wide and then won a penalty by tempting Chris Gunter into a
challenge he would soon regret.
He dashed
outside the full back, then twisted back, looking for an outstretched
leg. Gunter supplied it and over Hazard went. Lampard smashed in his
second penalty of the season, goal No 189 for Chelsea.
Bobby
Tambling’s club record of 202 is firmly in view, particularly if the
team play with such adventure and Hazard proves so adept at winning
penalties.
We're back in it: Gary Cahill is congratulated by John Terry after equalising for Chelsea
Good hit: Cahill (centre) blasts home Chelsea's equaliser thanks to a mistake from Reading keeper Adam Federici
Stamford Bridge
settled back and waited for more but Di Matteo’s defence failed its
first real test when Pogrebnyak wriggled clear of Cahill to head Garath
McCleary’s cross past Cech.
Reading took
heart and took control before half-time. John Terry fouled Jobi McAnuff,
25 yards from goal and Cech made a complete hash of the free-kick.
It was taken by
Danny Guthrie, an inswinger from the left which bounced a yard in front
of the keeper, who, diving to his left, somehow contrived to push the
ball into his own net.
In front: Ian Harte congratulates Danny Guthrie (right) on scoring Reading's second goal at Stamford Bridge
Howler: Chelsea keeper Petr Cech fails to stop Guthrie's free-kick in the first half
That night in Munich could not have seemed more distant. Cech cursed as he climbed to his feet.
Trust the Royals to turn up with plans to spoil the party. No-one was cavorting naked in the pool, Prince Harry style, but Reading made it an uncomfortable night for their hosts.
Trust the Royals to turn up with plans to spoil the party. No-one was cavorting naked in the pool, Prince Harry style, but Reading made it an uncomfortable night for their hosts.
Brian McDermott’s team are well-balanced and organised, they worked tirelessly and pressed high.
They were
confident, too, and Pogrebnyak will score some goals if McCleary’s
delivery from the right is going to be this good. Reading’s Russian
owner Anton Zingarevich did not attempt to keep the smile from his face
as he looked down from the posh seats.
Alex Pearce
escaped his marker before half-time and was only inches away from
connecting with a vicious inswinging free-kick from Ian Harte.
Feed the Pog: Pavel Pogrebnyak heads in Reading's first goal of the night after beating Cahill to the ball
Opener: Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (third right) scores from the penalty spot
It was all
slightly chaotic and made for a breathless spectacle. Hazard lashed a
25-yarder high and wide and Torres nodded a header wide after climbing
high to reach a cross from the right.
Ivanovic tried his luck from distance, early in the second half but this effort sailed into the Matthew Harding Stand.
Reading
repelled a flurry of Chelsea attacks in the second half before Di Matteo
turned to another new signing, sending on Oscar to replace Ramires, and
then a few more before Daniel Sturridge came off the bench.
It was a
central defender, however, who came to the rescue, just as McDermott was
beginning to think his team had ridden the storm.
Man in the middle: Referee Lee Mason gestures to Chelsea captain John Terry after a foul on a Reading player
Cahill accepted
a short pass from Hazard, strode out of defence and tried his luck from
30 yards with a low drive which slithered across the greasy surface.
Adam Federici
should have saved it but could only push it into the net. It was his
second blatant mistake in as many games, having been responsible for a
goal by Michael Kightly against Stoke on Saturday.
From this
point, Chelsea had the momentum. Sturridge and Mata went close before a
slick move led to a first of the season for Torres, who was clearly a
yard offside on the television replays as he tapped Ashley Cole’s low
cross into the net. There was no flag.
That's yer lot: Branislav Ivanovic scores Chelsea's fourth goal and the sixth of the night
Reading threw
men forward and in the fifth minute of added time Federici trotted
forward to attack a corner. Hazard broke with the ball at his feet,
sprinted nearly the full length of the pitch and pulled a pass square to
Ivanovic, who tucked his second of the season into an open goal.
In his last 20
league games, Hazard has conjured 13 goals, 13 assists and won seven
penalties. And, with six points and six goals in two Premier League
games, Chelsea are on top.
Here was a
Super Cup with a difference: the champions of Europe against the
champions of the Football League. And what a super game. Maybe it will
catch on.
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