Match Report : Wigan Athletic 0 Chelsea 1Sunday, Aug 14, 2005
Chelsea started the defence of the Championship with a win thanks to a
magnificent Hernán Crespo goal almost three minutes into stoppage time at
promoted Wigan in front of a stadium record 23,575 at the JJB Stadium.
The substitute took a Drogba header over 20 yards out on the right inside De
Zeeuw and fired a world class left-footed drive into the far top corner. It
will be one of the goals of the season.
Immediately José Mourinho went to Wigan manager Paul Jewell and hugged him and
told him his team didnt deserve it. And they didnt.
Wigan were no mugs, and fought magnificently and played extremely well. Perhaps
they can take points off other top teams. But José Mourinho would have seen
this as two points lost, especially after his team dominated the second-half,
if Crespo hadn't come up with the against the odds winner.
The only times Wigan had sold out the JJB home fans section was when they
opened it in 1999 with Manchester United visiting, and for the last game of
last season against Reading when they had won promotion. They were sold out
today.
The visitors section, however, wasnt quite full. Chelsea are taking the full
allocation this season for all away games away season ticket holders account
for more than half of some allocations but there were seven hundred seats
empty.
However, it was still a massive away turn out of over 4,300 who were loud,
funny and competitive with the Premiership newcomers as kick-off approached.
Chelseas early possession play was finally chased down by Wigan with a foul on
Makelele and heavy tackles on Robben and Lampard. The home crowd went into
overdrive. Come on, Wigan! screamed one wag in front of the press box,
youve got nothin to beat!
How they ran and fought in the first few minutes, and when Camara got inside
Terry and spanked for goal Cech had to be at his best to beat the ball out
diving to his far post. Ferreira blocked Roberts follow-up.
Minutes later Camara chased a through ball and when covering Terry realised
Cech wasnt coming he had to hurriedly clear as the forward bowled him over and
charged into the goalkeeper.
Robben sent a header over, but for the first ten minutes Chelsea had to show
the mettle rather than the skills of champions and defend with bravery.
Fourteen minutes in del Horno produced the tackle of the season so far. Duff
trickery had won the games first corner, but Robben had lost possession when
it was cleared and Wigan attacked up their right with right-back Chimbonda and
right-midfielder Teale combining, and although looking beaten del Horno got
back to dispossess his man on the slide before a cross was delivered.
Chelsea came more into it towards the middle of the half. Drogba and Gudjohnsen
fired over from the edge of the box and Robben, still searching for his touch,
cut inside Baines from the right but fired wide from close in. Later, Robben
drove just over from distance.
In midfield Bullard was an impressive presence for Wigan, winning the ball,
spreading play and drawing one frustrated foul out of Gudjohnsen after he had
left Robben standing.
Wigan fought out the best chance after 24 minutes when Lampard was caught in
possession on the edge of the area by Francis. Camara had the space on the
right to cross, and Mahon arriving late had time to pick his spot. He panicked
and picked a yard over the bar.
Just over six minutes before half-time Terry rose head and shoulders above the
Wigan defence to Robbens outswinging corner, but as you were shouting: Goal!
he sent the ball fractionally over from six yards.
At the other end three minutes later he was his outstanding self, covering del
Horno as Chimbonda raced into the area on an overlap and left-footed slide
tackling the ball clear.
A minute before half-time a sweeping move starting with Gudjohnsen on the left
who held the ball to make space, and developing through Lampard to Duff on the
right, finished with the winger cutting inside Baines and firing a low drive
which goalkeeper Pollitt dropped on unconvincingly. It was Chelseas first shot
on target.
In stoppage time Mahon was booked for felling Robben as he broke away after
Cech had punched out a free-kick. By then it was hissing rain. Great joy!
For the second-half Joe Cole and Wright-Phillips replaced Gudjohnsen and
Robben. Gudjohnsen had suffered a leg injury ten minutes before the interval
but had looked fit again by the time it arrived. Was this now the smallest
Mourinho selection ever?
Wigan werent the same force but Chelsea could still find no penetration.
Mourinho called for Crespo, and Duff was the man who had to make way one minute
before the hour.
Mourinho wanted the win. Chelsea switched to three at the back, Gallas going
left of Terry and del Horno pushing forward to wing-back. Wright-Phillips was
the other wing-back, and Cole played behind Crespo and Drogba. Thus it was
3-4-1-2.
After just two minutes Crespo ghosted past De Zeeuw and fired an angled
right-footer that Pollitt could only save with an outstretched foot. Crespo
turned provider on 67 minutes with a great defence splitting pass for Drogba,
but De Zeeuw got across to tackle as he was pulling the trigger. Seconds later
Cole forced a save from Pollitt with a 20 yarder. Chelsea were on top if not
yet fantastically threatening.
With 20 minutes left you wondered if Wigan werent going to run out of steam.
One Chelsea counter nearly had Crespo sneaking in but Henchoz cleared, then at
the other end Wright-Phillips had to be on top of his defending, covering
across to clear from Mahon.
Wright-Phillips showed his attacking prowess with a one-two with Ferreira which
took him behind Baines, but his pull-back was expertly forced away from Crespo
by Zeeuw who was having a stormer.
Time was running out. Chelsea seemed camped in Wigans half now apart from the
odd foray from the home team. Terrys on-target header from Lampards cross
lacked power. And then
what a sigh of relief as Francis on the far post headed
Teales cross over Cech and it bounced off the top of the bar.
De Zeeuw again and Chimbonda made crucial interceptions from Crespo again and
Lampard. Chimbonda raised his arms in celebration at the crowd to keep them
screaming. It was high tempo stuff with seven minutes left.
Camara left the field to a standing ovation after 85 minutes, Johansson
replacing him. It was Wigans first substitution.
Chelseas frustration was summed up two minutes from time when Gallas
mis-kicked a return pass from del Hornos throw for a Wigan corner, their first
of the second-half.
In stoppage time it was Wigan who threatened with Johansson twice running into
counter-attacking space and finding himself one on one with Cech but not being
able to find the target. If he had been Crespo, Wigan would have had three
points. As it was, the Argentine has arrived back at Chelsea with the biggest
statement he could have written <a world class last seconds winner.>
(FANTASTIS ABISSSS, Deh!!!)
Wigan: Pollitt; Chimbonda, Henchoz, De Zeeuw (c), Baines; Teale, Francis,
Bullard, Mahon; Camara (Johansson 85), Francis.
Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, del Horno; Gudjohnsen (J Cole h-t),
Makelele, Lampard; Duff (Crespo 59), Drogba, Robben (Wright-Phillips h-t).
by Neil Barnett
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