Chelsea 2 - 0 Sunderland

Home » Match Reports » Chelsea / Sunderland

| England News

Saturday Dec 08 2007 03:00

Andriy Shevchenko moved from his usual spot on the bench into the starting line-up and showed what a top player he is by scoring the first as Chelsea dispatched lacklustre Sunderland 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.Frank Lampard coolly slotted home a penalty for the second as the west Londoners remained third in the Premier league.

With top-scorer Didier Drogba sidelined after undergoing a knee operation, Shevchenko was restored to the first-team by manager Avram Grant.

But it was his strike partner Salomon Kalou who had the first chance of the game after six minutes when the Ivory Coast frontman met Lampard's corner and rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from eight yards out.

Chelsea had a good case for a penalty on ten minutes when Dean Whitehead appeared to push Shaun Wright-Phillips inside the Black Cats area, but referee Peter Walton waved away the shouts.

But class is everything and on 23 minutes the Ukraine striker notched up Chelsea's opener.

A long diagonal ball by Lampard to Kalou saw the Ivorian send in a fine left-footed byline cross which Shevchenko met superbly with a diving header past a hapless Darren Ward.

Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones forced Carlo Cudicini into a smart save on 33 minutes with the visitors' first effort of the match.

The second half was a poor affair with neither side able to dominate possession of the ball and not even a flurry of substitutions could lift the stupor.

But on 75 minutes Chelsea was awarded an innocuous looking penalty when Alex fell to the ground in the six-yard box while tracking a Lampard in-swinging free-kick.

The referee adjudged Danny Higginbotham to have pushed the Brazilian centre-back.

Lampard dispatched the gift with consummate ease by tucking the ball into Ward's left-hand side corner of the net.

To add to Sunderland's woes, Liam Miller was given a straight red card three minutes from time for pushing Claudio Pizarro in the face.

Live Commentary

90
Full time at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea take the three points.

90
Chelsea are showboating now, Frank Lampard flicked the ball to Pizarro and recieved the ball back before firing the ball at goal forcing a good save from Darren Ward.

90
The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time

89
Roy Keane is standing with his arms folded and has a stern face, with him probably wondering if it can get any worse for his side.

87
Liam Miller is dismissed from the game after he pushed his hand in Claudio Pizarro's face.

85
Joe Cole is replaced by Steve Sidwell.

84
Stokes did well to get past Alex and then get the ball into the box for Ross Wallace, who without any confidence what so ever turned and hit the ball a mile over the bar for Sunderland.

81
Darly Murphy went close for Sunderland with a shot come cross drilled from the right side of the penalty area, which flashed accross the face of the goal and just past Cudicini's goal.

78
Frustratingly Anthony Stokes is caught offside by the linesman when the Irishman was looking straight along the line.

76
Sunderland have nothing to lose and are sure to throw everything but the kitchen sink at Chelsea.

74
CHELSEA 2 - 0 SUNDERLAND (LAMPARD) Frank Lampard slots home the penalty to surely put the game beyond Sunderland.

73
Chelsea are awarded a penalty as Alex was bundled over by Danny Higginbotham in the penalty area.

71
Good link up play between Greg Halford and Liam Miller as Halford broke forward and drilled a shot which was deflected straight into Cudicini's hands.

70
Anthony Stokes replaces Grant Leadbitter

68
Danny Higginbotham complained to the referee about Andriy Shevchenko persistently fouling him, but Peter Walton is having none of it and the Ukranian gets away without a booking.

65
John Obi Mikel ridiculously wastes a free kick inside the Sunderland half, with a misplaced pass going out of play for a Sunderland goal kick.

64
Kenwyne Jones is replaced by Daryl Murphy

64
Salomon Kalou is replaced by Claudio Pizarro

61
Roy Keane is out in his technical area once again, this time he is furious with Liam Miller who made an inaccurate pass to Dean Whitehead which went out of play for a Chelsea throw-in.

59
Sunderland are actually winning some tackles in midfield now and their supporters are getting thoroughly behind them.

57
Roy Keane has sent out his substitutes to get warmed up as he looks to change things around and get something from the game. Which looks more likely in the second half with Sunderland defending much higher up the pitch and making it difficult.

55
Grant Leadbitter was penalised for handball but some how got away without a booking from Walton. Ashley Cole then didn't do anything from the resulting free kick.

53
Kenwyne Jones tried a very ambitious thirty five yard strike from the right side of the penalty area, which unsurprisingly missed the target.

51
Grant Leadbitter found himself in some space and tried his luck from just outside the area, but his effort went up past the post and out for a goal kick.

50
Joe Cole showed Halford a couple of stepovers and dummy, then squaring the ball into the box for Shevchenko but Paul McShane was alert and he intercepted the pass for Sunderland.

48
There is a bigger spring in the step of Sunderland at the start of the second half and they are pushed far further up the pitch than they were in the first half.

46
Chelsea get the game back underway at Stamford Bridge.

45
Peter Walton blows the whistle for half time.

45
The fourth official indicates two minutes of added time.

44
Kenwyne Jones recieves some treatment for a slight knock to his head as he challenged for a header with John Terry.

43
Roy Keane will be fairly pleased with going into half time only one nil down and may feel his side have a chance of getting back into the game.

40
Liam Milles is lucky to get away with a booking from Walton this time, he brought down Joe Cole who made a mea of it.

40
Ross Wallace is booked by Walton for a late tackle on Juliano Belletti.

37
Wright Phillips needed to do was slip the ball sideways one more time to find Frank Lampard who was standing all by himself, but instead he went for the shot himself which was blocked.

34
Roy Keane was furious with Ross Wallace's free kick into the Chelsea penalty area, but instead of going in, the ball went way over the top of everyone and out for a goal kick. Much to the disappointment of Keane.

32
Sunderland are actually enjoying some possession inside the Chelsea half for the first time in the game and working the ball around the pitch trying to find a way through.

30
Sunderland and Kenwyne Jones finally works Carlo Cudicini in the Chelsea goal with a good turn and shot to win a corner for the away side.

27
Sunderland are struggling to get some possession as Chelsea continue to caress the ball with some wonderful passing.

25
Salomon Kalou is getting quite a bit of joy down the right hand side and yet again he uses his pace to exploit Sunderland's defence.

23
CHELSEA 1 - 0 SUNDERLAND: (SHEVCHENKO) Andriy Shevchenko puts a simple downward header into the back of the net after a brilliant run and cross from Salomon Kalou.

22
Chelsea are putting crosses into the Sunderland penalty area for fun so far this half, this time it was Shaun Wright Phillips who whipped a dangerous ball in.

20
John Obi Mikel limps off the pitch after a late tackle from Miller which the referee didn't pick up, he is recieving some treatment but should be ok.

18
Sunderland look stretched at the minute and no wonder Roy Keane is out in his technical area screaming at his back four to move up the pitch and away from the edge of their eighteen yard box.

16
Frank Lampard whipped a dangerous corner into the penalty area for Chelsea with such pace, Alex attacked it at the near post but couldn't get enough on it and Sunderland cleared the ball.

14
The game is being played a slow pace early on and Sunderland look like they are trying to contain Chelsea by out numbering them in midfield.

12
Greg Halford is lucky to get away without a booking from Referee Walton after a deliberate foul on Salomon Kalou.

10
Joe Cole made a quick stepover and dribbled past Greg Halford to cross into the box for Chelsea, only for Darren Ward to come confidently and catch the ball.

8
Frank Lampard found an opening just outside the area and his shot looked destined for goal but Liam Miller bravely put his body in the way and blocked it.

6
Sunderland then went down the other end of the pitch and won a free kick twenty five yards out from goal which was wasted by Grant Leadbitter.

4
Chelsea win three corners in quick succession and on the third Salomon Kalou leaped brilliantly and headed the ball against the under side of the bar and was cleared to safety by Sunderland.

3
Chelsea win an early free kick which is whipped into the penalty area by Frank Lampard but Darren Ward came off his line and punched the ball clear.

2
Ashley Cole shows an early intent to get forward for Chelsea as he chased Andriy Shevchenko's ball down the line.

1
Sunderland get the game underway at a very wet Stamford Bridge.

0
Roy Keane brings Liam Miller and Dickson Etuhu back into the starting line-up from the game against Derby, Carlos Edwards misses out after he suffered a broke leg in that game.

0
Avram Grant has no fresh injury concerns, Carlo Cudicini continues in goal despite Petr Cech recovering from his calf injury, Shaun Wright Phillips comes into the starting line-up after sitting on the bench against West Ham.

0
The refere today is Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

0
Sunderland Line-up: Ward, Halford, McShane, Higginbotham, Collins, Miller, Leadbitter, Etuhu, Whitehead, Wallace, Jones

0
Chelsea Line-up: Cudicini, Belletti, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Wright-Phillips, Obi, Lampard, Joe Cole, Kalou, Shevchenko

Statistics

Chelsea

Shots on target	5
Shots off target	5
Shots off bar/post	2
Fouls	6
Offsides	2
Corners	10

Sunderland

Shots on target	2
Shots off target	7
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	12
Offsides	1
Corners	2

See Live Commentary