LONDON (AFP) - Eden Hazard scored his 100th and 101st Chelsea goals as Maurizio Sarri's men moved back into the Premier League top four by grinding out a 2-1 win at Watford on Wednesday (Dec 26).
Two of the three goals came in first-half stoppage time as the Belgian's opener was quickly cancelled out by Roberto Pereyra's spectacular strike.
However, Hazard made sure he was the match-winner as he was brought down by Ben Foster and then converted the resulting spot-kick early in the second half to move Chelsea two points ahead of Arsenal in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Despite fuming at Chelsea's lack of focus in losing at Stamford Bridge for the first time in charge of the Blues to Leicester on Saturday, Sarri named the same starting line-up with Hazard again serving as the focal point of the attack ahead of Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata.
Hazard had to wait for his chances to come, but showed why Sarri persists with him through the middle as he coolly rounded Foster to give Chelsea the lead.
Until that point, Willian had the visitors' only clear chance when he also rounded the 'keeper but could only strike the post from a narrow angle.
And Watford will believe they were well worthy of their equaliser just a minute after falling behind.
Jose Holebas's corner perfectly picked out Pereyra on the edge of the Chelsea box and the Argentine connected sweetly on the volley to find the bottom corner.
The hosts had claims for a penalty waved away when Gerard Deulofeu tumbled under a shoulder barge from David Luiz, but there was no controversy when at the other end moments later Hazard was hauled down by Foster.
Hazard picked himself up to dispatch the penalty confidently and by the end Chelsea's margin of victory should have been greater.
Willian and N'Golo Kante drilled low shots inches wide and Foster had to race back to his goal after going forward for a late Watford corner to deny Hazard his hat-trick with the last action of the game.
A match-fixing probe in Spain is focussing on current and former La Liga footballers as well as club presidents and managers, say police.
Players nabbed in Spain fixing probe - pressreader.com
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been hit with an Football Association charge for improper conduct following his side's loss at Burnley last weekend. Pochettino confronted referee Mike
Spurs boss Pochettino charged by FA with improper conduct
Trust in players crucial: Nazri. Singapore assistant coach Nazri Nasir with the Lions squad during training at Jalan Besar Stadium on Monday. He says his short stint as caretaker coach was a good
Trust in players crucial: Nazri : He will assist new Lions h
Alexandre Lacazette was sent off as Arsenal suffered an embarrassing defeat to BATE Borisov in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 clash in Belarus. See how the action unfolded with
Updated: Chelsea edge out Malmo as Arsenal suffer Europa
Feb 27, 2019 · Luis Suárez scored twice, to go with Raphaël Varane's own goal, as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-0 for 4-1 on aggregate to reach the Copa del Rey final
Barca beat Real Madrid to reach Copa del Rey final
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed a fifth successive win in as many games as interim manager of Manchester United when his side beat Reading 2-0 in the third round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on
Football: Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading
Football: Ikhsan Fandi focused on task as he begins Norway adventure. Ikhsan Fandi on trial with Raufoss against top-tier Norwegian club Mjondalen on Saturday. He is the first local-born
Ikhsan Fandi News from Singapore, Latest Ikhsan Fandi News
news.trendingnews.co.in/singapore/ikhsan-fandi
Football: Ikhsan Fandi focused on task as he begins Norway adventure The Straits Times. Singapore's Ikhsan Fandi has vowed to make an impact in Norway, after signing a two-year contract with Norwegian second-tier team Raufoss on Saturday.
Things Singapore does better than anywhere else - Hoffeldt.net
Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling hit a hat-trick as England thrashed the Czech Republic 5-0 for their opening Euro 2020 qualifier.. Manager Gareth Southgate gave Jadon Sancho his first international start and Borussia Dortmund's 18-year-old repaid his faith with a fine display.
Sterling hits hat-trick as England thrash Czech Republic
WOLVERHAMPTON, March 17: Wolverhampton Wanderers reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1998 by beating last year's runners-up Manchester United 2-1 with a clinical second-half display in an intense atmosphere at their Molineux stadium on Saturday.
Jimenez, Jota slay Manchester United as Wolves reach FA Cup
United late show rescues draw as Solskjaer's winning run ends. Simon Evans winning start as Manchester United's caretaker manager ended with a 2-2 draw at home to Burnley on Tuesday, but his
Solskjaer's Winning Streak Ends as Man Utd Outclassed by PSG
Atletico denied long-awaited win over Barca, Eibar stun Real. EIBAR, Nov 25 — Atletico Madrid came within a whisker of their first league win over Barcelona in eight years yesterday only for Ousmane Dembele to dash their hopes with a dramatic equaliser in injury-time.
Sevilla keep pressure on Real, Barca with win; Atleti snatch
0 comments:
Post a Comment