Conte praises ‘fire in our eyes’ after Chelsea comeback stuns Southampton

By Daily Sports on April 15, 2018

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says his team showed “the right fire in our eyes” as they mounted a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to win at Southampton.

The victory – thanks to three goals in eight second-half minutes – kept alive their faint hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Dusan Tadic’s opener, a placed effort following Ryan Bertrand’s marauding run, and Polish defender Jan Bednarek’s left-footed shot looked to be lifting Saints out of the bottom three.

But, with Mark Hughes seemingly on course for a first league victory as Southampton manager since arriving on 14 March, the entrance of substitute Olivier Giroud, who scored twice, sparked a listless Chelsea into life.

The France forward’s header – his first league goal for Antonio Conte’s team – and left-footed drive sandwiched Eden Hazard’s left-foot finish as the Blues moved within seven points of fourth-placed Tottenham.

“I was very angry from our first half,” Conte said. “In the second half we showed great character, great determination and desire to win the game. We showed the right fire in our eyes.”

For an hour, Chelsea’s performance epitomised their travails since the turn of the year, with the defending champions having collected just 12 points from the previous 33 available.

Willian’s 55th-minute shot was their first effort on target, and there were question marks over the application of several players in the build-up to both Saints goals.

One of those players – wing-back Marcos Alonso who crossed for Giroud’s header – was also fortunate to escape without punishment for standing on the back of Southampton forward Shane Long’s calf in the first half.

The incident left the Southampton manager furious and calling for the Football Association to take retrospective action, which could potentially rule Alonso out of next Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final rematch between the clubs.

“It was a poor challenge, it should have been a red card in my view,” Hughes said.

“I don’t think he was booked, so maybe people need to look at that again, retrospectively. Thankfully he’s just about OK, but he’s been raked down the calf.

“We’re not here to accuse people, and no sour grapes, but a decision needs to be made on that because it’s not acceptable.”

Southampton remain 18th as they try to avoid slipping into the Championship for the first time since 2011-12. (BBC)

•Photo shows Eden Hazard slotting in Chelsea’s equaliser against Southampton

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 15, 2018


 

You may also like...
No Major Signings Allowed In La Liga —...

Plateau United midfielder Jimmy Iteji set to join...

Balotelli instant hit at Nice

Osimhen, Lukaku clash in Serie A

NFF debunks Renard’s Eagles rumours

Messi pulls out of Nigeria clash

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,163 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,742 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,506 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 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