27 de Septiembre de 2015

The points are shared as Chelsea and Newcastle fight out a last gap 2-2 draw

Goals in the final 10 minutes from substitutes Ramires and Willian earned the Blues a point on Tyneside after a two goals comeback.

It hadn’t looked like being a good day in the North-East for the fourth season running but character and quality was shown in abundance as we fought back from two goals down to leave for London with something tangible to show for an excellent finish to the game. Pedro played the full 90 minutes of the game in St. James’ Park

Ramires, who welcomed a baby boy into his family yesterday morning, gave Chelsea hope with 10 minutes remaining courtesy of a long-range blockbuster. The Brazilian then didn’t quite meet an inswinging Willian free-kick with his head but it mattered not, the ball flying past Tim Krul and into the net anyway. Ramires even had time to nearly snatch a winner that had seemed most unlikely only 15 minutes earlier.

Newcastle had taken the lead shortly before half-time, through also Canary Island-born Ayoze Perez, and though Chelsea significantly improved in the opening stages of the second period, the hosts doubled their advantage through Georginio Wijnaldum on the hour.

We were able to change the story of the game though and so bring an end to recent St James’ Park defeats.

The big pre-match selection issue had revolved around who would replace the suspended Diego Costa up front. Jose Mourinho decided Loic Remy was the man to lead the attack against the club he spent the 2013/14 season on loan at.

That was the only change to the XI that began last weekend’s win over Arsenal, meaning Kurt Zouma and Gary Cahill were again the preferred centre-back pairing. It was the England defender’s 100th Premier League start in a Chelsea shirt. The fit-again Willian took a place on the bench.

There was almost no goalmouth action to report in a cagey opening 10 minutes, though Zouma did fire a 30-yard free-kick not too far wide of Krul’s goal.

However the game did soon find some rhythm and, more importantly, attacking purpose. Having made inroads down Newcastle’s left, Ivanovic centred to Remy who stabbed wide with his left. At the other end, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Moussa Sissoko then had the home side’s first attempts of the afternoon, both off target but enough to get the locals out of their seats.

Defensive strength was the order of the day when Vurnon Anita prevented Hazard racing clear on to an Oscar backheel, and then Cahill outmuscled Mitrovic as he tried to break free of our backline.

An error-strewn passage of play from Chelsea shortly before the half-hour allowed Ayoze Perez space to test Begovic. The Bosnian parried well but the ball was immediately worked back inside our box to Daryl Janmaat. His shot was more comfortable for our keeper.

Jack Colback became the game’s first booking for a cynical tug of Remy ‘s shirt as we broke, and from another counter-attack soon after we tested Tim Krul for the first time. Hazard – along with Pedro Chelsea’s brightest attacking spark in the opening 45 minutes – released Fabregas whose long-ranger had pace and swerve, but Krul with a stretching hand was equal to it.

It had not been a vintage half of Premier League football and it looked like the teams would go in goalless, but from a position of seemingly little concern Newcastle took the lead. A deep, high cross from Anita on the right touchline looked meat and drink for our defence, but Zouma didn’t jump to head it. Instead Perez, lurking behind him, got ahead of Ivanovic and brought it down from the sky with his first touch before volleying past Begovic, off the inside of the post, with his second.

It was a disappointing way to give an out-of-form Newcastle a foothold in the game. There would need to be a marked improvement after the break if our recent fortunes at this ground were to change.

We began well and inside the opening seven minutes of the second period, Remy had two headers at goal. The first was offside and saved by Krul anyway; the next, a presentable opening, went over.

Chelsea momentum was gathering and the passing crisper, but Newcastle landed a sucker-punch on the hour. Hazard was fouled at one end - Mbabu clearly tugging his shirt - but the ref didn’t give it and play broke down the other. From the second of two Newcastle corners in a row an unmarked Wijnaldum headed into the corner. 2-0.

Willian and Radamel Falcao had been stripped and ready to come on before that goal but were understandably made to wait until the set-piece danger passed. Instead it was with a two-goal deficit they entered the pitch. Matic and Remy made way.

Ramires for Oscar was the final change on 73 minutes. The no.8’s final involvement had been to curl a shot wide after racing on to an intelligent Hazard pass.

Ramires’ first significant involvement was much more spectacular. Hazard, who had been trying to find a clear path to goal all game, met a wall of black-and-white resistance again so squared to Ramires 25 yards out. The Brazilian took a touch before blasting a thunderbolt into the top left-hand corner, the ball whistling past Krul. Game on.

Hazard drifted in that very special way of his across the whole Newcastle backline from wide on the left to wide on the right, but when the time came to shoot Mbemba brilliantly blocked.

An even better chance surfaced on 84 minutes. The now-bandaged Fabregas picked out Pedro with a raking pass from well inside his own half, but his compatriot couldn’t make the most of the opening, shooting over after racing clear.

We didn’t have to wait much longer to equalise at an increasingly jittery St James’ Park, though. Willian swung the free-kick over from the left and while Ramires may or may not have got a touch on the ball, the pace on it deceived Krul and ended up in the back of the net. It was not dissimilar to Willian’s goal against Maccabi Tel Aviv 10 days ago.

There were three minutes plus added time left and Ramires, at the centre of everything since his introduction, did definitely meet Willian’s next set-piece with his head, but Krul dived low to his left to keep the scores level as the game reached a dramatic conclusion.

There were to be no more goals however and it was left to the travelling support to remind everyone that it is for comebacks such as these that we are the champions.

 

- Match stats:

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Ivanovic (c), Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic (Willian 61), Fabregas; Pedro, Oscar (Ramires 73), Hazard; Remy (Falcao 61).
Unused subs Blackman, Terry, Mikel, Kenedy.
Scorers Ramires 79, Willian 87
Booked Ivanovic 68, Pedro 90+7

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Krul; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini (c), Mbabu; Anita, Colback (Obertan 54); Sissoko (De Jong 90+2), Perez, Wijnaldum; Mitrovic (Toney 84).
Unused subs Elliot, Williamson, Lascelles, Thauvin.
Scorers Perez 42, Wijnaldum 60
Booked Colback 34

Referee Martin Atkinson

- Match report by chelseafc.com


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