Chelsea claw back to defeat Black Cats
SUNDERLAND (1) vs CHELSEA (3)
THE new Premier League season may be only four days old, but Chelsea, many pundits’ tips for the title, are already sitting pretty at the top of the table after rallying to sweep aside Sunderland.
Black Cats summer signing Darren Bent gave the visitors a scare by pouncing to notch his second goal in as many games and put Sunderland ahead at half time. But after the break Chelsea showed why they are so fancied, Michael Ballack equalising before further goals from Frank Lampard and Deco completed the comeback.
The Blues had already shown they mean business earlier in the day, by strengthening their squad with the signing of £1.5m Serbia midfielder Nemanja Matic from MFK Kosice. And their response to going behind at the Stadium of Light was another illustration of the threat Carlo Ancelotti’s men are likely to pose this year.
Bent, discarded by Tottenham, again showed why Sunderland boss Steve Bruce still thought him worth £10m with a poacher’s finish in the 18th minute. His cross found strike partner Kenwyne Jones, and when the Trinidadian’s effort was saved, Bent was on hand to tuck home.
Facing defeat in only his second competitive match in charge, Ancelotti sent his side back out for the second half transformed, and they were level within seven minutes. Didier Drogba had already squandered one header when Branislav Ivanovic flicked on a corner and Ballack steered a shot inside the post.
Just after the hour Chelsea had turned a one-goal deficit into a lead, George McCartney’s foul on Drogba allowing Lampard to finish from the spot. With 20 minutes left on the clock Deco sealed the turnaround, and booked Chelsea’s place at the top of the league, with a sweet 20-yard shot off the post.