Saturday, August 23, 2014

DIEGO COSTA INSPIRES CHELSEA TO VICTORY OVER LEICESTER

Diego Costa was again on target for his new club as Chelsea eventually overcame a stubborn Leicester to maintain their 100% start to the Premier League.
Diego Costa scores second league goal for Chelsea
Diego Costa scores again for Chelsea in their 2-0 win over Leicester
The first half belonged to Championship winners Leicester, who caused the Chelsea defence some anxious moments.
In the second half David Nugent wasted a great chance when clear on goal.
But Chelsea attacked with more purpose after the break, with Costa scoring from close range and Eden Hazard drilling low beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
Leicester were the latest Premier League newcomers to fail in their attempts to thwart Chelsea, even though the hosts were a less vibrant and fearsome outfit than the one which impressed in victory over Burnley on Monday.
After a subdued performance in the first half, there were fears that the Londoners were reverting to the habits which proved costly in their pursuit of the title last season - slipping up against teams regarded as lowlier opponents.
But the Blues did not have a striker as clinical as Diego Costa during their last campaign, and the £32m summer signing's second league goal of the season was the nerve-easer that Chelsea desperately needed after only excellent goalkeeping from Thibaut Courtois had kept the score goalless.
Courtois was again preferred to Petr Cech, forcing the Czech to readjust to the unfamiliar role of substitute after nearly 500 appearances as Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper.
From the bench, the demoted Cech would have watched his young replacement make two fine saves, one in either half. First the Belgian prevented Riyad Mahrez from scoring, and after the break quickly came off his line to thwart Nugent, who should have done better with the goal at his mercy.
Chelsea 2-0 Leicester
Comfortable enough for Chelsea in the end but Leicester certainly gave them a scare. Two wins out of two for Jose Mourinho's men.
The Foxes had the best away record in the Championship last season and twice came from behind at home to draw against Everton on the opening day, but Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was another sizeable step up.
Ultimately, Leicester lacked the guile needed to beat a back four which was the most frugal in the league last season.
Chelsea added urgency to their play in the second half and it needed an acrobatic save from Schemichel to stop a Branislav Ivanovic header from reaching the top corner.
Following wave after wave of Chelsea attack - Oscar hitting the base of the post with a curling effort - a goal for the hosts seemed inevitable.
Again, Ivanovic was at the heart of it, charging down the right before finding his striker inside the box. Costa neatly controlled the ball with his chest and swept home from 10 yards.
Chelsea's second was preventable as Schmeichel allowed Hazard's low effort from the left to slip underneath him.



BBC Sport

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