A John Terry goal deep into added time secured the Blues a point on what was an afternoon of real drama at Stamford Bridge as the Blues and Everton played out a 3-3 thriller, with all six goals coming in the second half.
Guus Hiddink’s side had shown real spirit having conceded twice shortly after half time. Two goals in the space of two minutes – by Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas – had brought us back into the contest, but the visitors looked to have won it when Ramiro Funes Mori made it 3-2 in the 90th minute.
However, there was still time for one further twist and it came with virtually the last kick of the game when Terry latched on to a loose ball inside the penalty area and produced a back-heeled volley which beat Tim Howard.
Hiddink made one change to the side which drew against West Bromwich Albion in midweek, with Nemanja Matic returning to the starting line-up and Oscar dropping down to the bench. With the Serbian sitting alongside John Mikel Obi in midfield, Cesc Fabregas moved into a more advanced position behind lone striker Diego Costa. Elsewhere, the back four remained unchanged and it was Willian and Pedro tasked with supplying the creativity from wide areas. Eden Hazard missed the game through injury.
Perhaps due to the quality of the attacking players on show, the opening stages of the game saw both teams content to defend with large numbers behind the ball when the opposition were in possession and as the clock ticked past the 10-minute mark neither goalkeeper had been called into action.
Aaron Lennon, selected ahead of Gerard Deulofeu wide on the right for Everton, was fortunate to escape punishment for a late challenge on Mikel as the pair challenged for a loose ball on the halfway line before the first chance of the game fell our way.
Diego Costa did well to bring the ball down and hold it up before finding Branislav Ivanovicon the overlap. The right-back, looking up and spotting the run of Willian, picked the Brazilian out with a well-timed pass and the winger, who took one touch before unleashing a fierce drive, forced Tim Howard into a smart save.
Everton were next to threaten as the game began to open up and, after Ross Barkley’s strike had been charged down by Kurt Zouma the rebound fell invitingly for Bryan Oviedo at the back post, who screwed his effort wide when he really should have done better.
Barkley and Romelu Lukaku then exchanged passes as our former striker looked to get in behind Zouma but Thibaut Courtois was quick off his line and gathered easily.
The three attacking midfielders - Fabregas, Willian and Pedro – though busy and full of energy, were having difficulty exerting their influence on proceedings for the Blues and as the half-hour mark approached, with the game goalless, there was nothing to choose between the two sides.
Like ourselves, Everton hadn’t really got going as an attacking force as the half edged towards its conclusion, with Barkley looking their biggest threat on the rare occasions he was able to get on the ball and run at the Chelsea defence.
Six minutes before the break, however, the Toffees sprung into life and almost took the lead.
As the ball was worked into the feet of Kevin Mirallas he flicked it around Zouma and got away from the Frenchman. With little support on either side he went for goal from distance, firing low and hard towards the bottom corner, and it required a good save from Courtois to prevent the visitors from breaking the deadlock.
While the first half had created very little in the way of goalscoring opportunities, it took just four minutes after the restart for the deadlock to be broken and unfortunately it was Roberto Martinez’s side who went in front.
Lukaku carried the ball from right to left deep inside the Chelsea half before laying it off to Barkley, who in turn played in Leighton Baines. The left-back, who had got the wrong side of the Chelsea defence, crossed into the danger zone and as Terry attempted to clear the ball he could only divert it beyond Courtois.
Buoyed by the goal, Everton’s tails were up and from their next attack they almost extended their advantage as Barkley, who had latched on to a Mirallas pass, drove a left-footed strike against the foot of the post from a tight angle.
Shortly after Everton had taken the lead Hiddink made his first change of the afternoon, replacing Matic with Oscar, but just two minutes later the visitors went further ahead.
Once again it was Baines who crossed from wide on the left, but this time Mirallas controlled the ball with his first touch, swivelled and crashed a powerful left-footed drive into the bottom corner.
A deft Fabregas back-heel almost caught out Howard as we quickly attempted to find a route back into the game, the Everton ‘keeper forced to tip it over the bar, but we wouldn’t have to wait long.
As Fabregas played a lofted ball over the top of the Everton defence, seeking out Diego Costa, there was a mix-up between the retreating John Stones and Howard, who had raced off his line to clear the danger, leaving the Chelsea striker to gratefully roll the ball into the empty net.
Stamford Bridge, sensing we were well and truly back in the game, erupted, and two minutes later better was to come as we drew level.
Fabregas instigated the move just outside the Everton penalty area and as the ball found its way back to the Spanish midfielder, who by this time was on the move, he exchanged passes with Diego Costa and, via the aid of a deflection, fired past Howard.
The noise inside the stadium was deafening as the home supporters celebrated wildly and from seemingly being out of the game, within the space of two minutes we were back on level terms
Diego Costa went down under the challenge of two Everton defenders as we went in search of a third, but his appeals were waved away, and shortly after he was unable to connect with a dangerous ball across the face of goal from Cesar Azpilicueta.
As a spectacle, it was a developing into a pulsating contest with both teams looking a real threat in the final third, a stark contrast to the opening 45 minutes.
With 11 minutes left to play Diego Costa, who was becoming a real threat as the game progressed, was forced out of the action after picking up an injury. Loic Remy, making his return from injury, came on to lead the Chelsea attack.
Everton also made a couple of changes for the closing stages of the game as Deulofeu and Steven Pienaar replaced Lennon and Barkley repectively.
It was all to play for as we entered the final 10 minutes, could the Blues find a priceless winner?
We almost had the answer as Mikel raced on to a loose ball after Oscar had been tackled on the edge of the Everton penalty area and crashed a powerful strike inches wide of Howard’s left-hand post.
Hiddink’s side were certainly seeing more of the ball since equalising but Everton remained a real threat on the counter attack.
Then, in the 90th minute, with the game heading for a draw, Everton took the lead once more.
Remy had headed clear a Mirallas corner at the front post, but as the Belgian swung it back in, substitute Ramiro Funes Mori stole in at the far post and volleyed past Courtois.
It was cruel on the Blues given the way we’d battled to get back into the game.
Seven minutes of added time were signalled, much of which came from the treatment given to Bryan Oviedo when he was down injured earlier in the half, and we surged forward in search of another leveller.
Willian fizzed a strike inches wide and it looked like our chance had gone, but there was still time for more drama and deep into added time John Terry was first to a flick-on in the Everton penalty area and sent a back-heeled volley beyond Howard, sending the home supporters packed in behind the goal into a frenzy.
Having scored late goals in this fixture in the previous two seasons, we’d done it again.
This time, it may have secured one point instead of three, but given the context of the game and the battling qualities we’d shown, it was no more than we deserved.
- Match stats:
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic (Oscar 54); Willian, Fabregas, Pedro (Kenedy 67); Diego Costa (Remy 79).
Unused substitutes: Begovic, Baba, Cahill, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Remy.
Scorers Diego Costa 64, Fabregas 66, Terry 90+7
Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard; Oviedo (Funes Mori 70), Stones, Jagielka (c), Baines; Besic, Barry; Lennon (Deulofeu 79), Barkley (Pienaar 79), Mirallas; Lukaku.
Unused substitutes: Robles, Cleverley, Osman, Kone.
Scorers Terry (own goal) 49, Mirallas 56, Funes Mori 90
- Match report by chelseafc.com
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