unblemished home record in the Premier League as the leaders
beat QPR 2-1.
Charlie Austin's second-half equaliser had looked set to deny
Jose Mourinho's side a fifth consecutive league win at Stamford
Bridge after Oscar had opened the scoring.
However, after Hazard was clumsily bundled over by Eduardo
Vargas, the Belgian stroked home the winner to maintain
Chelsea's four-point lead at the summit.
Austin backheeled home just after the hour to cancel out
Oscar's opener as the in-form QPR striker seemed set to be the
hero for the Loftus Road outfit.
With an under-par Chelsea on course to drop points for the
second league game running, Vargas collided with Hazard just
inside the area with referee Mike Jones pointing to the spot.
Hazard then had the final say 15 minutes from time as he
tucked away the penalty to ensure Chelsea clinched maximum
points and deny Harry Redknapp what would have been an
impressive draw.
Chelsea began well and forced a series of corners early on, with
leading scorer Diego Costa - back in the starting XI after a four-
game absence due to a combination of injury and illness -
almost getting on the end of Cesc Fabregas' long ball four
minutes in.
Oscar saw a shot roll wide of Rob Green's left-hand post soon
after before Branislav Ivanovic found the side-netting from
Willian's delivery.
QPR – whose one change saw Junior Hoilett replace Bobby
Zamora – produced their first effort on goal via the in-form
Austin, whose header looped over the crossbar 15 minutes in.
While it was a rare foray into the Chelsea half, Redknapp's side
had done well to stifle the hosts and initially deny the likes of
Oscar, Willian and Hazard space to create openings.
However, after Fabregas' long-range strike tested Green from
distance, Oscar opened the deadlock after 32 minutes courtesy
of a sublime finish with the outside of the boot.
Played in down the right by Fabregas, the Brazil international
found the bottom-left corner via the inside of the post to send
Chelsea in ahead at the break.
Hazard almost doubled Chelsea's advantage early in the second
half but failed to make contact with Willian's inviting cross as
Redknapp opted to bring on Zamora for Hoilett just short of the
hour mark.
Within two minutes of the change, QPR were level thanks
to Austin's fifth Premier League goal of the season.
Following a swift counter from Vargas, Austin was able
to cleverly divert Leroy Fer's strike past a helpless Thibaut
Courtois.
Mourinho then opted for an attacking change as Didier Drogba
replaced Willian, but it was the ever-dangerous Hazard who was
the match-winner.
Having been brought down by Vargas, the Belgium international
sent Green the wrong way from the spot to get Chelsea back
to winning ways in the league after their 1-1 draw at Old
Trafford last time out.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
0 comments:
Post a Comment