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Chelsea 2 : 0 West Ham
After three winless games, Chelsea finally beat West Ham in the league in an entertaining affair at Stamford Bridge. A sublime Eden Hazard solo effort in the 24th minute put Chelsea into a lead they never relinquished. He added the Blue’s second at the death but not before West Ham had worried them throughout the second half.
The Blues are up to third, a position that may flatter their season but they would dearly love to hold on to. West Ham perked up after a dismal first half and had plenty chances to score but it was not to be their night. They can leave however with their heads held high after a second half in which they were highly competitive.
Match Preview: Top four chasers Chelsea host London rivals West Ham
It used to be two ends of the District Line in the old days, but with West Ham’s move inland, that’s no longer true for the stadia at least. Still Chelsea v West Ham is not without rivalry and passion, even thought the Hammers had less to play for.
Felipe Anderson and Ryan Fredericks made the line up with Samir Nasri on the bench. Maurizio Sarri had praised Andreas Christensen after the Brighton game but rested him for Antonio Rudiger. Gonzalo Higuain replaced Olivier Giroud.
Hazard broke through on 10 and only an agricultural tackle by Angelo Ogbonna stopped him. A yellow card and a free kick resulted. Emerson wasted the latter failing to trouble Fabianski in the Hammers goal.
N’Golo Kante had made a promising start and made enough space to get a clear shot on goal five minutes later but he too failed to make the Hammers’ keeper work, firing way over.
On 24 however, Hazard scored one of the goals of the season.
He put his head down and sprinted past Mark Noble and Declan Rice, dribbled passed Ogbonna and Fabian Balbuena, avoiding Frederick’s tackle before thumping the ball past Fabianski to score a wonderful goal, already worth winning a derby.
Higuain nearly doubled the lead from a narrow angle seconds later but the Hammers keeper made a fine save. Chelsea were having their best spell with Hazard at the root of most of it.
Chelsea were encamped inside the West Ham half for most of the rest of the half. a 35th minute corner being West Ham’s prize possession. Fabianski’s fingertips denied Hudson-Odoi and the resultant corner brought further panic to the Hammers’ defence. Higuain was next to be denied, a Fredericks deflection putting his swivel kick past the right hand post.
It was 1-0 going on five at half time.
144 seconds into the second half, Chelsea were once again rapping at the door. Loftus-Cheek unlocked it but Hazard could not quite step through, putting his effort wide.
Kepa Arrizabalaga was finally forced into save when Mauel Lanzinin picked up a well directed Arnautovic cut back, making a second from an Anderson curler, as the Hammers finally looked threatening. Between them, Loftus-Cheek should have made it 2-0 but his chip failed to rise above Fabianski’s waist.
Adrian Cresswell fought off Cesar Azpilicueta to fire in a marvelous effort just past the right hand post for West Ham, and Chelsea continued to be profligate at the other end. Hazard repeated Loftus-Cheek’s earlier error by firing straight at Fabianski.
Ross Barkley and Pedro Obiang entered the fray for their respective sides with 21 minutes to go, before Olivier Giroud replaced Higuain.
Barkley was seconds too late to a Hudson-Odoi cross on 79, and still the threat from the east had not been laid to rest with 11 minutes to go. Azpilicueta fired over and the clock reached 82 with the visitors still only 1-0 behind.
It could have been costly when the ball got under Balbuena’s feet and caused him to misdirect in the Hammers’ best remaining chance.
Jorginho supplied Hazard who fired home his second from inside the box to finally put the matter to rest, and left with a friendly wave to some Belgian fans who had proudly waved their flags from the middle tier.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistants: Daniel Cook, Constantine Hatzidakis
Attendance:40,537
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Jorginho, Kante, Higuain (Giroud 74′), Loftus-Cheek (Barkley 69′), Hudson-Odoi, (Pedro 85′), Hazard, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Emerson
West Ham: Fabianski, Rice, Cresswell, Balbuena, Anderson, Arnautovic, Lanzini, Noble (Obiang 69′), Chicharito (Snodgrass 45′), Ogbonna, Fredericks,
