Report: West Ham United 1 Chelsea 2
IgbereTv sports Analyst Mr. Solomon predicts exactly 2:1 win over west hammers last night
SEE HOW THE EVENTS OCCURS:
Goals from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa burst the Hammers’ bubbles in east London as the Blues maintained the 10-point lead with March’s first set offixtures completed.
The spotlight was on Antonio Conte’s men after the closest rivals Tottenham and Manchester City both won on Sunday, but our ability on the break always looked likely to prevail in this Monday night London derby, and it was from such an attack that Hazard calmly scored his 11th league goal of the season midway through the first half.
When Diego Costa netted his 17th early in the second period from a set-piece there was no way back for West Ham, who failed to mount anything like the threat they produced in our League Cup defeat at the former Olympic Stadium back in October, with their goal only coming in stoppage time at the end of the game.
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A spell of Chelsea possession inside the home team’s half was broken when Aaron Cresswell cleared the ball high towards Carroll who nodded it out wide. When the cross came in chelsea again coped, but a quarter of an hour into the game it was clear what the Hammers’ primary attacking tactic was to be.
Twice chelsea were harshly penalised with free-kicks in central areas deep in the half but the east Londoners proved unable to do much with them. We were beyond the midway point in the first half of this London derby and neither keeper had yet to be called upon to save, although the Blues at our counter-attacking best were only just around the corner.
N’Golo Kante – who else – won the ball deep in our half initially and then it was the turn of Hazard and Pedro to take over. The Spaniard returned the Belgian’s pass up to him perfectly to beat the offside and Hazard had the pace to do the rest, although the finish was by no means an easy one. Keeping his cool he ran square and wide enough of Randolph to slot the ball inside the post. For the 10th Premier League game in a row, Chelsea had opened the scoring.
Fabregas was perhaps fortunate not to be whistled up for handball in our box soon after but in a flash we were streaming forward on the break again. Alonso tricked his way through and came close to adding number three.
The Irons steeled themselves around the hour mark for a spell of pressure on the Chelsea goal. Moses blocked a goalbound shot from Feghouli and Jose Fonte headed wide at the far post with our defence stretched.
Antonio Conte responded by bringing Nemanja Matic on for Pedro and switching to a 3-5-2 with Hazard and Diego Costa the furthest forward. Almost instantly the pair combined and it took a fine save to prevent Diego Costa notching his 50th Premier League goal with a shot on the spin.
Fabregas, after sustained Chelsea probing, drilled an 81st-minute shot over and the extra insurance of a third goal would have prevented a few nerves when Lanzini was left in space to cut the deficit with 90 seconds of added time left to play. Courtois was angry that what would have been our first clean sheet in five league outings had been let slip and we could have won this game more easily than we did, but there was still plenty to celebrate on the final whistle.
Next up for the Blues in the Premier League is another away game, up at Stoke, the first of 11 left in this competition, but before then it is back to the FA Cup – and Man United at the Bridge in seven days’ time.