Chelsea kept their domestic season alive thanks to a second-half comeback against current league leaders Manchester United at Stamford Bridge this evening.
Despite taking the lead thanks to a venemous Wayne Rooney strike in the first period, Manchester United were unable to hold a one goal lead and eventually lost the tie 2-1 after second-half goals from David Luiz and Frank Lampard.
The hosts made a lively start to the match and could have taken the lead early on when French international Florent Malouda came racing into the area with the ball but could only direct his shot safely within Edwin Van der Sar’s grasp.
It was eventually Rooney who broke the deadlock however as he stuck the ball low and hard into the left corner from outside the Chelsea area half-way into the first period and from then on it appeared United were on top.
After the break Carlo Ancelotti’s men started the second period much like they did the first and reinjected some fluidity back into their play. After coming close on a couple of occasions it was Brazillian centre-back David Luiz who equalised for the Blues with a sweetly struck half-volley inside the United area that even £50 million rated team-mate Fernando Torres would have been proud of.
From then on the momentum was firmly with Chelsea and when Patrice Evra conceded a late penalty after hacking down substitute Yuri Zhirkov it was game, set and match as midfield general Frank Lampard made no mistake from the spot and secured the valuable three points for his side on a bitterly cold Tuesday evening.
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andym
Founder and chief editor of La Liga Blog, Andy fell in love with Spanish football after a university placement year in the Costa Del Sol. His favourite Tapas is Albondigas and on Saturday afternoons, Andy can regularly be found trying to emulate his hero Carles Puyol for his amateur football team.