• Date: Wed 19 March 2008
  • Venue: White Hart Lane
  • Ref: Riley, M
  • Attendance: 36,178
Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

Woodgate (12)

Berbatov (61)

Huddlestone (75)

Keane (88)

4 - 4
Chelsea

Chelsea

Drogba (3)

Essien (20)

Cole (52)

Cole (80)

Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea

Team Lineups

Tottenham Hotspur

Paul Robinson
Jonathan Woodgate
Alan Hutton
Ledley King (Darren Bent, 68)
Pascal Chimbonda
Didier Zokora
Aaron Lennon
Jermaine Jenas (Tom Huddlestone, 46)
Steed Malbranque
Robbie Keane
Dimitar Berbatov

Chelsea

Carlo Cudicini
Paulo Ferreira (Andriy Shevchenko, 90)
John Terry
Ricardo Carvalho
Ashley Cole
Frank Lampard
Joe Cole (Michael Ballack, 82)
Claude Makelele
Michael Essien
Salomon Kalou (Rodrigo da Costa Alex, 71)
Didier Drogba


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

FULL TIME: Mike Riley brings what must be one of the games of the season to a close. It had everything and the best goal of the game was saved for the last.

90

Berbatov finds space for a shot inside the box and looks certain to grab a winner but Cudicini pulls off a world class save to prevent the big striker.

90

The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time.

89
Substitution
 

Avram Grant is throwing everything at it now and replaces Renato Paulo Ferreira with Andriy Shevchenko

88
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 4 - 4 CHELSEA: ROBBIE KEANE, with an absolutely stunning strike, pulls his side level yet again and White Hart Lane erupts.

87

Bent gets a glorious chance three yards from goal but fails to make the chance count and the ball is deflected behind for a corner kick.

86

Chelsea have five at the back now and look set to close all the doors, trying to shut out their persistent opponents.

84

Joe Cole will be Chelsea's hero tonight if the scoreline stays the same. It has been an incredible second-half of football and this game must go down as one of the games of the season.

82
Substitution
 

Joe Cole is brought off by Avram Grant, much to the frustration of the winger, and is replaced by Michael Ballack.

80
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 3 - 4 CHELSEA: JOE COLE restores Chelsea's lead with a neat finish from inside the box.

78

Realistically Chelsea need the three points and it will be worrying for Avram Grant that his side has conceded three goals from set-pieces.

76

Chelsea, who deservedly went 3-1 up at the beginning of this half, look shell-shocked at the moment and Spurs have turned this game on it's head.

74
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 3 - 3 CHELSEA: The ball falls to the feet of TOM HUDDLESTONE who strikes a sweet, left footed shot from 20-yards to draw his side level.

72
Yellow Card
 

Tom Huddlestone picks up the latest booking from Mike Riley as the game heats up.

70
Substitution
 

Avram Grant now makes a defensive substitution, with Alex replacing Salomon Kalou

69
Substitution
 

Juande Ramos makes an attacking substitution, with Ledley King making way for Darren Bent.

68

Malbranque gets into a good position but slices his shot wide of the mark.

66

Essien drives a low shot in at goal and it cannons back off the post. A lucky escape for Spurs as that shot looked destined for the net.

64

Berbatov links up well with strike partner Keane who swivels on the ball before striking a shot goal-wards and Cudicini has to pull off a superb save to turn the ball away.

62

Joe Cole wins his side a free-kick just outside the Spurs box. It is taken by Drogba but Robinson is equal to the shot.

61

It's game on for Spurs again now and they are right back in the game.

60
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 2 - 3 CHELSEA: Tom Huddlestone puts in a good delivery this time and DIMITAR BERBATOV makes it count with a header into the top corner.

59

Spurs put together a fluid move that results in Malbranque forcing a fine save out of Cudicini.

57

Kalou gets behind the Spurs defence but is pulled back for offside.

55

Spurs are winning the corner counter at the moment but are failing to make them count, this time with Huddlestone's delivery cleared at the front post.

53

Chelsea look comfortable now and that goal from Joe Cole may well have put the game beyond doubt, though there is still plenty of time left.

51
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 1 - 3 CHELSEA: Makalele finds JOE COLE who rides the challenge from Chimbonda before sliding the ball past a helpless Paul Robinson.

49

Lennon hits a shot from outside the box but Joe Cole throws himself in the way of it.

47

Tom Huddlestone tries his luck from range but fails to trouble Cudicini.

46

There was a real edge to the game after the opening stages of the game and it seems to have continued through to the second-half with a couple of tasty tackles flying in.

45
Substitution
 

Juande Ramos makes a half-time substitution with Jenas making way for Tom Huddlestone.

Second half
 

Mike Riley gets the second-half underway.

Half time
 

HALF TIME: Chelsea have been the better side so far and take a deserved lead in at the break, but the main talking point will be the Ashley Cole challenge late on.

44

That challenge caused a stir amongst the Spurs bench and Chelsea should probably be down to ten men.

43
Yellow Card
 

Robbie Keane is also cautioned for arguing with the officials.

43
Yellow Card
 

Ashley Cole dives in on Alan Hutton and shows dissent to Mike Riley, earning himself a yellow card.

41

Frank Lampard goes in very late on Jenas but Mike Riley waves play on, much to the fury of the home faithful.

39

Lennon and Malbranque have not been involved enough in the game so far and Spurs have looked most dangerous from set-pieces so far.

37

The game has dried up in terms of chances as Chelsea have stifled their opponents.

34
Yellow Card
 

Joe Cole receives the first booking of the game for dissent

31

Robinson rushes out of his area and is forced to challenge an oncoming Kalou outside the box. The striker appeals for handball but Mike Riley deems the incident as ball to hand.

28

Chelsea are dominating the centre of the park at the moment. This has been the basis for their strong start to the game and they certainly don't look like giving up on the title race.

26

Jenas sprints down the left flank and cuts inside before striking a low shot at goal but it is easy for Cudicini.

24

Incidentally, White Hart Lane has seen the more goals per game than any other Premiership ground this season and it doesn't seem that the scoring is over yet.

22

Play stops for a few moments as Dimitar Berbatov receives treatment after an aerial collision with Terry.

20
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 1 - 2 CHELSEA: Cole sets up MICHAEL ESSIEN who rounds off the move with a sublime finish and Chelsea are back in front.

18

Aaron Lennon runs at goal and tries to play through Robbie Keane but puts too much pace on the ball and it runs out of play.

15

Joe Cole breaks down the flank and his low cross finds Salomon Kalou wide open at the far post but he completely misses the ball.

13

The home fans have come to life now and must be more surprised than anything after starting the game so badly.

11
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 1 - 1 CHELSEA: Jermaine Jenas' free-kick finds JONATHAN WOODGATE who rises above Terry and Drogba to get a powerful header on the ball and it beats Carlo Cudicini.

9

Spurs pass the ball around in the Chelsea half for the first time but are unable to break the sturdy back-line.

7

It has been a sloppy start to the game by Tottenham and Juande Ramos is fuming on the sideline.

5

Drogba hits a shot from outside the box and Paul Robinson parries it into the path of Joe Cole who eases the ball into the back of the net, but is pulled back for offside.

2
Goal
 

TOTTENHAM 0 - 1 CHELSEA: John Terry cuts back onto his right foot and swings a cross towards the far post. The ball finds DIDIER DROGBA who heads the ball through the legs of Paul Robinson and into the back of the net.

2

Michael Essien burts through the heart of the Tottenham midfield and wins his side a free-kick just outside the Spurs penalty area.

1

Chelsea enjoy the early spells of possession but will have some psychological things to think about tonight, with Juande Ramos naming the same side that beat them at Wembley in the Carling Cup final in February.

Kickoff
 

Referee Mike Riley gets the game underway.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Cudicini, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole, Drogba, Kalou. SUBS: Hilario, Shevchenko, Ballack, Wright-Phillips, Alex

Awaiting Kickoff
 

SPURS STARTING XI: Robinson, Hutton, Woodgate, King, Chimbonda, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane. SUBS: Cerny, Tainio, Dawson, Huddlestone, Bent

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Ricardo Carvalho is back in the side for this evening's fixture and takes the place of Alex who drops to the bench. Michael Essien and Claude Makalele also return to the starting line-up but goalkeeper Petr Cech is still sidelined.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Juande Ramos makes one change to the side that lost at Eastlands on Sunday with the return of Ledley King who comes in for Michael Dawson. Paul Robinson is also passed fit for the clash and continues his run in goal.