Saturday, April 20, 2013

FULHAM 0 - CHELSEA 3: Mark LUIZ OFFERS BLUES A BIG RAISE - Daily Star

ABOVE: David Luiz remembers opener Fulham 0 Chelsea 3 18th April 2013 By Adrian Kajumba Brian LUIZ and John Terry took center stage to fire Chelsea in to third place in the competition for Champions League soccer. Luiz bagged a goal of the season contender before two Terry headers clinched an important west London derby win for the Blues. Chelsea's first absent group win since mid-January lifted them to third in the dining table and keeps them on course for the top four end which will go some way to saving their season. It was an appropriate win in the end for Rafa Benitez's men, who took benefit of the sketch between Arsenal and Everton 24 hour earlier in the day. However they had a genuine battle on their arms before his 100th Chelsea appearance was marked by Luiz having an absolute stunner. When he put in a man-of-the-match screen, despite conceding a late charge he stole the show on his first Chelsea start at Fulham two years ago. When he shot a 35-yard thunderbolt past a hopeless Mark Schwarzer and it proved a hunting ground again yesterday. Chief Terry, recalled along with Frank Lampard, was not to be outshone by his centre-back companion and added a double. He made it 2-0 before half-time with a far post header before using the final touch to Fernando Torres' movie to create it 3-0 in the 71st second. But regardless of the scoreline it wasn't vintage Blues. It rarely has been under Benitez and as yesterday evening was their 60th sport of a punishing season it was hardly surprising. But Chelsea's year has now reached the point where it is not tasks that issue but benefits. After the chance of FA Cup wonder disappeared on Sunday against Manchester City, restoring a Champions League area is one of only two things the Blues have left to play for - combined with the Europa League. Therefore using their top four target in mind it was a straightforward case of work done. Before they took get a handle on but they had to weather a start from fired-up Fulham. With Dimitar Berbatov pulling the strings early on for Fulham, Bryan Ruiz came near with a volley from Sascha Riether's combination and Giorgos Karagounis thumped a drive just within the bar. When this occurs Chelsea were happy to still have 11 men on the message. Umpire Mike Dean allow Branislav Ivanovic off with a yellow after he launched himself right into a unwanted twofooted challenge on Mladen Petric, probably realizing he really moved the ball. Fulham threatened again but John Arne Riise's shot from Ruiz's cutback was tame and immediately at Petr Cech - before Luiz showed how it should be done. He'd little else on after receiving Eden Hazard's cross midway within the Fulham half therefore tried his luck and found the most truly effective place with a sensational reach that dipped and swerved past Schwarzer. Given the very fact Luiz was once accused of playing like he is controlled by a on a, it was odd that his strike was the sort of imagination goal that would not watch out of place on a pc game. Urby Emanuelson and the extraordinary Berbatov both came near to scoring what could have now been an earned Fulham equaliser. As an alternative they finished up falling further behind two minutes before half-time. Fulham seemed to own fled when Schwarzer awkwardly bundled Lampard's sinking freekick behind. However the Cottagers didn't precisely clear their lines from the resultant part and Terry crept in behind the sleeping Phillipe Senderos to nod in Juan Mata's serious corner. Petric seemed to own broken a good possiblity to provide Fulham a when he scooped the ball over the bar from a yard out. He was treated, then, to turn around and start to see the assistant's hole as much as spare him some distress. But there was when Terry nodded the ball in from close range to seal the win and get Chelsea three things clear of fifth-placed Tottenham no escape for Fulham.

No comments:

Post a Comment