London, Oct 25 (EFE).- Chelsea, which was coming off four consecutive wins between the Champions League and the Premier League, came to a screeching halt when it lost at home against the surprising Sunderland, which is second in the table.
The ‘Black Cats’ came back from Alejandro Garnacho’s initial goal and took the victory in the 93rd minute to put themselves in a luxurious position just months after certifying their return to the Premier League.
The ‘Blues’ cannot blame the puncture on the effort made during the week in the Champions League, because their win against Ajax Amsterdam was marked by an expulsion from the Dutch in the fifteenth minute and the subsequent relaxation, tranquility and rotation that this produced.
This Saturday’s duel at Stamford Bridge seemed to be the vindication of Alejandro Garnacho, who did not take five minutes to score his first goal for Chelsea. The Argentine winger received a horizontal pass from Pedro Neto on the left wing, faced his defender, went to the outside and linked a low shot that crossed the legs of Robin Roefs.
He sat on the stadium’s advertising billboard and said “here I am.” The problem is that Chelsea was not the forceful team that could be expected against a newly promoted team, at home and with an advantage.
Twenty minutes in, a commotion inside the area after a throw-in ended with Wilson Isidor pushing the ball as best he could in front of Robert Sánchez.
Given the amount of possession that Chelsea had, it seemed that it would be a minor problem that would be solved as the minutes passed and the opportunities arrived, but the Joao Pedro-Marc Guiu pairing, who started for the first time in the Premier this season after scoring against Ajax during the week, did not work.
Neither the Brazilian, as a hook, nor Guiu, as a nine, managed to create the danger they should have and Enzo Maresca was forced to turn to Estevao, his youngest scorer in the history of the Champions League, to solve the situation.
But to the surprise of Maresca and practically the 40,000 people who packed Stamford Brodge, it was Sunderland who escaped with the three points thanks to a spectacular play by Brian Bobbey, who came off the bench to create the winning goal.
In the 93rd minute, with Chelsea overturned, the striker received a long ball and protected it with his back to the goal, under pressure from Tosin and Chalobah, until a teammate arrived. They were a few eternal seconds in which the Dutch attacker, formerly of Ajax, covered the ball with his body until Chemsdine Talbi appeared behind. Bobbey served him the leather and he caressed it to the net, while Robert Sánchez could only visualize the defeat.
Chelsea had the opportunity with a victory to go second, but the defeat leaves them seventh, with fourteen points and with everyone to play this day, while it is Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland that shakes up the Premier League and is in second position. The Black Cats become Arsenal’s main pursuers and are two points behind the Gunners.
– Technical sheet:
1 – Chelsea: Sánchez; James, Acheampong (Tosin, m.77), Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo, Joao Pedro (George, m.85); Neto (Andrey Santos, m.85), Garnacho (Estevao, m.58) and Guiu (Gittens, m.76).
2 – Sunderland: Roefs; Mukie, Ballard, Geertriufa, Mandava, Hume; Samadki, Xhaka; Traor (Talbi, m.65), Lee Fee (Rgg, m.76) e Isidor (Brobbey, m.76).
Goals: 1-0. Garnacho, m.4, 1-1. Isidor, m.22 and 1-2. Talbi, m.93.
Referee: Andrew Madley cautioned Andrey Santos (m.89) for Chelsea and Le Fee (m.70) for Sunderland.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the ninth day of the Premier League played at Stamford Bridge (London).
