CHELSEA DEFEATS ARSENAL
2 - 0 Kurt Zouma's 53rd-minute
header and Eden Hazard's late
deflected strike sealed an
ultimately facile win over
Arsene Wenger's men, who
had Gabriel and Santi Cazorla
dismissed
Diego Costa again proved the
decisive figure as Chelsea beat
Arsenal 2-0 in a controversial
clash at Stamford Bridge.
The Spain striker provoked a
red card for Arsenal defender
Gabriel late in the first half
with Santi Cazorla also seeing
red in the second period as
the visitors self-destructed.
Kurt Zouma headed Jose
Mourinho's men into the lead
after 53 minutes and a late,
deflected effort from Eden
Hazard secured a much-
needed win for Chelsea in
stoppage time.
Gabriel became the latest man
to be drawn into an off-the-
ball row with Costa, who had
first tangled with Laurent
Koscielny but was involved in
afters with the Frenchman's
defensive partner.
Gabriel received an initial
booking from referee Mike
Dean before his sending-off
for a petulant kick on the
Spain international before play
had resumed on the stroke of
half-time and it took the
champions just eight second-
half minutes to make the most
of their man advantage.
The unmarked Zouma nodded
in a Cesc Fabregas free-kick
past Petr Cech on the
goalkeeper's Stamford Bridge
return.
Chelsea found their feet after
the opener and rarely looked
like relinquishing their lead -
with Cazorla's second yellow
card for a poor tackle on
Fabregas effectively ending a
fixture unlikely to be
earmarked as a classic
episode in the sides' long-
running rivalry.
Hazard's goal merely rubbed
salt into Arsenal's wound and
summed up the visitors'
luckless afternoon.
John Terry was kept on the
bench following the midweek
Champions League success
against Maccabi Tel-Aviv and
stand-in captain Branislav
Ivanovic was tested early
down the left by Alexis
Sanchez before Theo Walcott
rounded Asmir Begovic before
failing to keep the ball in play.
Former Arsenal man Fabregas
had Chelsea's first effort on
target with the opening 15
minutes largely belonging to
the visitors - unchanged from
their 2-0 win over Stoke City.
Mourinho's men eventually
grew into the game as Costa
tested Cech with a strike prior
to the half-hour mark.
A slack touch from Pedro
denied him a one-on-one with
Cech before Hazard saw a
penalty shout turned down
after tangling with Gabriel -
Mourinho seemingly bemused
by Dean’s decision.
Dean was then involved in the
game’s main talking point
prior to the break with Gabriel
dismissed to the
astonishment of Wenger.
Wenger introduced Calum
Chambers to shore up his
defence but Chelsea remained
on top as they sought to press
home their numerical
advantage, Pedro volleying
over before Zouma nodded in
the opener.
Ghosting in at the far post, he
gained the crucial touch on
Fabregas' delivery to register
his first Premier League goal
for the club.
The hosts' pressure continued
as Hazard's fierce effort was
beaten away by Cech, with the
former Chelsea goalkeeper
then watching on as the
Belgian dragged a shot wide
after the hour mark.
Costa remained in the thick of
things - seeing a penalty
appeal turned away following
a challenge from Nacho
Monreal - with Cazorla shown
a second yellow for a rash
challenge on his countryman
Fabregas 11 minutes from
time before Hazard sealed the
points.
His strike took a heavy
deflection off substitute
Chambers and diverted past a
helpless Cech to cap another
frustrating visit to west
London for Wenger.Original posted by primebaze.xtgem.com
Created at 2015-09-20 22:47:53
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