Chelsea keep up chase for Champions League place

By Daily Sports on April 29, 2018

Chelsea’s chase for a top-four Premier League spot gathered pace as Cesc Fabregas scored a landmark goal to deepen Swansea’s relegation concerns.

Fabregas struck in the fourth minute on a wet night in south Wales – his 50th Premier League goal and 15th for Chelsea after scoring 35 for former club Arsenal.

Swansea had their opportunities, particularly in the second half, to claim some rewards, but the 1-0 defeat means it is now six games without a win for Carlos Carvalhal’s side.

There is also little breathing space for Swansea now in the fight for top-flight safety as Southampton’s victory against Bournemouth reduces their advantage to the relegation zone to one point.

Blues boss Antonio Conte patrolled the technical area like a caged tiger throughout and it was easy to see why with so much at stake.

Liverpool’s goalless draw at home to Stoke earlier in the day had slightly opened the door to Chelsea as far as qualifying for next season’s Champions League was concerned.

A nine-point gap at kick-off was reduced to six, with Chelsea – who are two points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham – having a game in hand over their Merseyside rivals.

Intriguingly, Chelsea and Liverpool meet at Stamford Bridge next weekend, when the pressure could really be applied on Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Swansea’s defensive resources had been depleted by the loss of Federico Fernandez and Kyle Bartley to injury.

So Kyle Naughton, the regular right-back, became one of three central defenders and Connor Roberts came in for his first Premier League start.

But that unfamiliarity in the Swansea defence was exposed immediately as Eden Hazard found Fabregas unmarked in the penalty area and the Spaniard curled a delicious shot past Lukasz Fabianski.

With Hazard running the show, Chelsea were in complete command and Victor Moses saw his goal-bound effort blocked by Alfie Mawson before Olivier Giroud failed to divert a header goalwards.

Swansea’s anxiety was reflected by Mawson skimming the top of his own crossbar after the ball had ballooned into the air and Giroud had won the header.

Moses joined Andre Ayew in the referee Jonathan Moss’ book for scything down Martin Olsson and Swansea mustered their first goal-bound attempt when Ki Sung-yueng sent the resulting free-kick into Thibaut Courtois’ midriff.

Swansea had to find a cutting edge after the break and there was optimism when Olsson crossed for Andre Ayew to head over under pressure from Antonio Rudiger.

But it was difficult to lay a glove on a Chelsea defence in which England defender Gary Cahill was given another pre-World Cup opportunity to impress and that was superbly protected by N’Golo Kante.

There was also the danger of a productive Chelsea counter and Fabianski went low to his left to deny wing-back Emerson after one such raid.

Swansea went close when Jordan Ayew headed over as Chelsea struggled to clear a corner and his brother Andre curled just wide as the hosts began to press in the final quarter.

Naughton’s half-volley then forced Courtois into action and Cahill had to come to the rescue with a perfectly timed penalty-area challenge on Nathan Dyer.

Chelsea continued to drop deeper in the final minutes, but Swansea’s hopes of a point finally evaporated when Tom Carroll fired wide and Courtois thwarted Wayne Routledge. (RTE)

•Photo shows Chelsea and Swansea in action

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 29, 2018


 

You may also like...
Thiem Stuns Nadal To Reach Australian Open Semi-Finals...

Cardiff City Relegated after Crystal Palace Defeat

​Oshoala Wins First League Title In Europe

Nigeria to camp in France ahead of first...

West Ham’s Fabianski Out For Two Months

Arda, Pique seal comeback win for Barca

 

Latest News Froch tells Joshua to retire Port Harcourt to host 2025 men’s basketball league finals World Champs: NSC hails Team Nigeria’s para athletes Oshoala, Demehin headline Falcons’ first training session Nigeria: South African Minister Explains Why He Does Not Want Nigeria to Qualify for 2026 World Cup Anthony Joshua's next opponent? Kingsley Ibeh calls for AJ fight in Nigeria: 'I will definitely knock him out!' Nigeria: Pinnick Slams South African Sports Minister for Wishing Eagles Failure in World Cup Playoffs Ajibade, Nnadozie, Falcons, others nominated for 2025 CAF awards Nigeria book ITTF World Championships spot Eagles rise to 41st in FIFA rankings Iwobi faces Gunners to become sole Nigerian apps leader Gusau confident of Eagles’ World Cup playoff success

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (63,263 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,457 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,411 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,016 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,007 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (51,973 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (51,801 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,386 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,501 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,040 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,482 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (46,945 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media