Chelsea 2-1 Wigan: Ivanovic in the Right Places.... Again
Offside Ref!!
By Since66
April 8 2012
After his two goal salvo at Villa Park last weekend, Branislav Ivanovic wasn’t gone in sixty seconds as he popped up to give Chelsea the lead on the hour and then a minute later he was on his own goal-line clearing birthday boy and ex-Chelsea Di Santo’s effort off the line.
Quick reactions as the ball crossed the line, checking the assistant my side for a raised flag, which didn’t come, cue relieved celebrations, Chelsea one up albeit very, very fortunately.
Whatever the consenus is about ‘dodgy’ decisions, it is about time Chelsea got their fair share of them although some of Mike Jones’ other decisions yesterday left a lot to be desired.
Chelsea and Wigan’s Roberto Martinez wouldn’t have needed to worry about offsides had Wigan’s Al Habsi not been in such fine form saving a Cahill blockbuster, then close range from Mata hand rebound Drogba header.
Al Habsi continued by saving a Drogba header from a Malouda cross and he thwarted Drogba again with his legs in the 2nd half.
Sturridge selfishly shot into the side netting and was roundly booed by certain sections of the home crowd, then Chelsea took the controversial lead on 62 minutes.
Wigan never gave up and it was substitute Diame who spanked Wigan’s equaliser at the Shed End and just like Wednesday night, Chelsea scored in stoppage time to secure the win.
Drogba floated over a cross from Chelsea’s left and Torres, who came on as a substitute just before the hour, smacked a volley against the post, the ball rebounding to Mata to bundle over the line to give Chelsea an extremely hard fought three points in the chase for ‘Corrupt Cup’ qualification.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand, Essien (Mikel 73), Meireles, Sturridge (Kalou 83), Mata, Malouda (Torres 58), Drogba (c).
Goals: Ivanovic 61, Mata 90
Booked: Essien 25, Malouda 52
Wigan: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Caldwell (c), Figueroa, Boyce, McArthur (Diame 70), McCarthy, Beausejour (Watson 70), Moses, Di Santo (Sammon 79), Maloney
Goal: Diame 82
Booked: Maloney 59
NEXT UP: Fulham (a), Monday 9th April 2012, k.o. 8pm
TWITTER: @WVOMChelsea