4-4 v Chelsea FC - 19 March 2008 - Home

Chelsea FC

Chelsea FC

4

  • Drogba
    3'
  • Essien
    20'
  • Cole
    52'
    79'
Details
Match Number

6691

Opposition
Chelsea

Chelsea FC

Competition
Premier League

Premier League

Season

2007/08

Date

19th March 2008

Kick Off

20:00

Venue

White Hart Lane

Attendance

36,178

Referee

Mike Riley

League Position

11th

Opposition League Position

3rd

Opposition Form

WDWWWW

Weather at Kick Off

4.5° - Clear

Facts & Milestones
  • 6656th overall match (3151 wins, 1461 draws, 2031 losses)

  • 5133rd competitive match (2280 wins, 1205 draws, 1648 losses)

  • team

    179th match vs Chelsea FC (66 wins, 43 draws, 70 losses)

  • competition

    612th Premier League match (221 wins, 161 draws, 230 losses)

  • 6122nd match in England (2847 wins, 1378 draws, 1884 losses)

  • 2734th match at White Hart Lane (1596 wins, 588 draws, 550 losses)

Report

Robbie Keane's stunning goal gave Spurs a thrilling point against Chelsea.

Didier Drogba headed Chelsea in front after three minutes but Jonathan Woodgate rose to equalise for Spurs.

Michael Essien's clever finish restored Chelsea's lead after 21 minutes and Joe Cole looked to have sealed the points with a third in the 52nd minute.

Dimitar Berbatov's header and a Tom Huddlestone strike put Spurs level, and after Cole hit his second, Keane curled in superbly two minutes from time.

Spurs fielded the side that beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup final - and showed videos of their triumph on the White Hart Lane big screens before kick-off.

The cheers were swiftly silenced as Chelsea swept into a third-minute lead, Drogba heading in John Terry's cross at the far post.

Joe Cole thought he had doubled Chelsea's lead three minutes later when he rounded Spurs keeper Paul Robinson to score, but the strike was ruled out for offside.

Spurs delivered a timely response to level after 12 minutes when Wembley goal hero Woodgate rose above Drogba and Terry to send a powerful header high beyond Carlo Cudicini from Jermaine Jenas's free-kick.

Chelsea looked the more dangerous side and should have restored their lead when Salomon Kalou just failed to apply the finishing touch to Joe Cole's driven cross.

But they did not have long to wait before going back in front, Essien beating Robinson with a neat finish after 20 minutes with the outside of his right foot after a clever ball from Joe Cole unlocked the Spurs defence.

Drogba wasted a good chance to extend Chelsea's advantage two minutes before the break after Frank Lampard robbed Jenas. The striker selfishly shot straight at Robinson with the England midfield man unmarked.

There was an unsavoury scene on the stroke of half-time when Ashley Cole floored Spurs defender Alan Hutton near the touchline with a tackle that was both high and late - and worthy of a red card in the current disciplinary climate.

Chelsea's players - led by England captain John Terry under the watchful eye of coach Fabio Capello - rushed and surrounded referee Mike Riley in a chaotic scene that did them no credit.

When the crowd of Chelsea players finally dispersed, Riley showed leniency in producing only a yellow card - and even then Cole stood pointedly with his back to the official before receiving his punishment.

Joe Cole had been a shining light for Chelsea, and he added a third for Chelsea after 52 minutes when he escaped a flimsy challenge from Pascal Chimbonda to score via Robinson's body.

But Spurs were back in contention after 61 minutes when Berbatov rose above Terry to meet Huddlestone's corner and send a looping header over Cudicini.

The Italian keeper produced a stunning save three minutes later to preserve Chelsea's lead, denying Keane at point-blank range after he was picked out by Berbatov's pass.

It was an end-to-end affair, and Essien almost grabbed his second with a low shot that beat Robinson but rebounded to safety off an upright.

But Spurs' all-out attacking approach paid off with 15 minutes left when Keane's corner fell to the giant Huddlestone, who fired a superb left foot drive beyond Cudicini.

Spurs sensed an unlikely victory, but Chelsea responded in style and the inspirational Joe Cole put them back in front in the 80th minute, shrugging off another weak tackle from Chimbonda to beat Robinson emphatically.

There was another twist after 88 minutes when a long clearance hit Ricardo Carvalho on the back and Keane reacted quickly to curl a 20-yard shot past Cudicini.

And in a grandstand finish, Cudicini produced a wonder save from Berbatov when the Bulgarian looked poised to cap a magnificent match with the winner.

Timeline
KO

Didier Drogba

3'

Michael Essien

20'

Joe Cole

36'

Ashley Cole

45+1'
HT

Joe Cole

52'

Joe Cole

79'
FT
Location
League Table
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Manchester united
29 21 4 4 59 15 44 67
2
Arsenal
30 19 10 1 58 22 36 67
3
Chelsea
29 19 7 3 49 18 31 64
4
Liverpool
30 16 11 3 55 21 34 59
5
Everton
30 17 5 8 47 25 22 56
6
Portsmouth
30 14 8 8 44 31 13 50
7
Aston villa
30 13 10 7 52 39 13 49
8
Manchester city
30 13 9 8 36 34 2 48
9
Blackburn rovers
30 12 10 8 39 37 2 46
10
West ham united
30 12 7 11 33 36 -3 43
11
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
29 9 8 12 54 47 7 35
12
Wigan athletic
30 8 7 15 27 42 -15 31
13
Middlesbrough
30 7 10 13 27 44 -17 31
14
Newcastle united
30 7 8 15 31 57 -26 29
15
Reading
30 8 4 18 35 57 -22 28
16
Birmingham city
30 6 9 15 34 46 -12 27
17
Sunderland
30 7 6 17 26 48 -22 27
18
Bolton wanderers
29 6 7 16 28 43 -15 25
19
Fulham
30 4 11 15 27 49 -22 23
20
Derby county
30 1 7 22 14 64 -50 10
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Manchester united
30 22 4 4 61 15 46 70
2
Arsenal
30 19 10 1 58 22 36 67
3
Chelsea
30 19 8 3 53 22 31 65
4
Liverpool
30 16 11 3 55 21 34 59
5
Everton
30 17 5 8 47 25 22 56
6
Portsmouth
30 14 8 8 44 31 13 50
7
Aston villa
30 13 10 7 52 39 13 49
8
Manchester city
30 13 9 8 36 34 2 48
9
Blackburn rovers
30 12 10 8 39 37 2 46
10
West ham united
30 12 7 11 33 36 -3 43
11
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
30 9 9 12 58 51 7 36
12
Wigan athletic
30 8 7 15 27 42 -15 31
13
Middlesbrough
30 7 10 13 27 44 -17 31
14
Newcastle united
30 7 8 15 31 57 -26 29
15
Reading
30 8 4 18 35 57 -22 28
16
Birmingham city
30 6 9 15 34 46 -12 27
17
Sunderland
30 7 6 17 26 48 -22 27
18
Bolton wanderers
30 6 7 17 28 45 -17 25
19
Fulham
30 4 11 15 27 49 -22 23
20
Derby county
30 1 7 22 14 64 -50 10
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