tottenham 4-2

Independent:

Villas-Boas hails ‘amazing’ Chelsea
Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4

Steve Tongue

Juan Mata scored twice in two minutes to crush Andre Villas-Boas' hopes of exacting revenge on his former employers Chelsea at White Hart Lane.

It will soon become time to ask who can stop Chelsea. If it is to be Manchester United, then next Sunday at Stamford Bridge is when Sir Alex Ferguson’s team have to prove it. The talk has been that the European champions had not met any serious opposition, yet raiding parties to north London have now returned with a full complement of points from Arsenal and Tottenham.
Both have been open games, in the manner apparently demanded by Chelsea’s owner, and could therefore have finished differently, but the outcome has been just each time. All credit to Tottenham yesterday, nevertheless, for playing their part in one of the games of the season, above all in their dramatic – and frankly unexpected – revival at the start of the second half, turning a 1-0 deficit into a lead.
For a while the force was with them, until the admirable Juan Mata scored twice in three minutes; a fourth goal on the break, which the Spaniard set up for Daniel Sturridge, always looked possible.
Overall, as both managers agreed, quality told and the fact that Tottenham were missing the injured Mousa Dembélé and also Gareth Bale, who withdrew shortly before kick-off to be with his pregnant girlfriend, proved a predictable handicap. Sandro and Tom Huddlestone looking pale in comparison.
Jermain Defoe was better, much better, in an enthralling duel with his England team-mate Gary Cahill, who was a worthy stand-in for John Terry. As the shield in front of the back-four, John Obi Mikel has in the past been what used to be called the “boo-boy” but nobody was booing yesterday. Ashley Cole had an excellent first half, then found Aaron Lennon a handful at times; it was the winger’s direct running that brought Spurs back into the game towards the end of the first half after Cahill had volleyed Chelsea in front.
“We showed great strength of character to come back in the second half,” Andre Villas-Boas said. At 2-1 the Tottenham manager, wanted to “calm things down” but the White Hart Lane crowd have never appreciated a softly-softly approach and they were impatient whenever the build-up was slower. Whatever regrets Villas-Boas may have had about his time at Chelsea and not being allowed to finish what he had started, he was generous in his praise for the attacking midfield trio that his successor Roberto Di Matteo has been allowed to assemble, calling them “amazing” and admitting of the team as a whole, “they’re on top of their game”.
They were early on here, sharper and more threatening from the start and taking the lead in the 17th minute. Eden Hazard’s corner from the left was headed up in the air by the home captain and former Chelsea stalwart William Gallas, dropping nicely for Cahill to hit a screaming volley that took an insignificant deflection off Steven Caulker on its way into the roof of the net.
 Mata ought to have brought about a more secure half-time lead, shooting wildly over the bar after Brad Friedel parried his initial effort. In between times, however, Spurs had their moments, not least because some of Petr Cech’s handling was less reliable than usual.
 The worm’s-eye view from the press-box at pitch level made the football look frenetic, but could not obscure the quality which together with the excitement made this such an enjoyable occasion.
It was already a good game before the burst of four goals in 22 minutes as the second half opened took it to another level.
 Chelsea’s fans, outnumbered 10 to one, had been the noisier until the stadium came alive as the away team’s defence dozed in a manner that must have infuriated Terry.  Huddlestone, making his one significant contribution, swung a free-kick beyond the far post that an unmarked Jan Vertonghen deftly hooked square for Gallas, equally unattended, to nod in, via his hand.
Cech had to make a smart save from Vertonghen and only eight minutes after the equaliser, Lennon’s low cross – or mishit shot? – was swung in by Defoe for the 200th goal of his career and one of the most typical. Just as unpredictably Chelsea regained the initiative, suddenly looking irresistible again as they pushed forward.
Mike Dean turned down penalty appeals from Cole and Fernando Torres, neither of whom would agree with the neutral view that he had a fine game. It did not matter. In the 65th minute another unconvincing headed clearance at a corner by Gallas landed at the feet of Mata, who drove the ball low past Friedel and after three frantic minutes in which Defoe at one end and then Torres were denied, Mata began and finished a lovely move by sweeping in Hazard’s perfect pass.
If Mata had completed his hat-trick later by lifting the ball over Friedel, it would have been overly harsh on both Spurs and their goalkeeper, who had not been at fault for any of the goals but may now find himself left out for Hugo Lloris. He was left utterly exposed for the final goal, inevitably made by Mata, who robbed Kyle Walker by the touchline and rolled a cross for the substitute Sturridge to tap in.
It was Chelsea’s first success since 2005 on a ground where they once seemed invincible and it sent a powerful message, even if their manager wishes to obscure the true significance for now. “There are 30 games still to play,” he said. “I think you have to wait until the Christmas period.”

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen; Huddlestone (Livermore, 67), Sandro; Lennon, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (Adebayor, 74); Defoe.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Mata, Oscar (Sturridge, 83), Hazard (Lampard, 90); Torres

Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the match: Mata (Chelsea)
Match rating: 9/10


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Observer:

Chelsea's Juan Mata stars in topsy-turvy win at Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Chelsea 4

Daniel Taylor at White Hart Lane

André Villas-Boas can testify firsthand now about the improvement in this Chelsea team since he was ushered from the club. There is a steel about Roberto Di Matteo's side that was not always evident during his predecessor's reign and it meant an ordeal for the well-dressed man shaking his head and rubbing his hands through his hair in the home dugout. "André, André, what's the score?" the Chelsea fans sang, and the man in question looked at his shoes and pretended not to hear.
His team had led 2-1 but there was only a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half when Tottenham Hotspur could be said to be the better team, scoring twice and threatening to condemn the Premier League leaders to their first defeat of a season.
That apart, Chelsea played with confidence and the kind of durability that should serve them well in the title race. Juan Mata was prominently involved, scoring the two goals that turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead, then setting up the substitute Daniel Sturridge to complete the comeback in stoppage time.
In defence, it is unlikely they would have been so vulnerable had John Terry not been starting his four-match ban. Yet their elusive, nimble attacking players provided a formidable test for Tottenham that, for the most part, the home team found beyond them. "Creativity and individual brilliance," Villas-Boas said of his former team. "Oscar, Mata, Eden Hazard … brilliant." Mata was one of the players he had brought to Stamford Bridge. As Di Matteo said: "I've thanked him for that."

The away side had been so comfortable after taking the lead through Gary Cahill's 18th-minute volley it was a jolt, to say the least, when William Gallas's glancing header two minutes after the break, possibly helped by his fingertips, was quickly followed by Jermain Defoe pouncing on Aaron Lennon's misdirected shot to score the 200th goal of his career.
At that point Tottenham, unbeaten in a London derby at home since 2007, might have dared imagine a sixth successive win, but they would have been kidding themselves to think they deserved the lead. Chelsea never panicked or started to feel sorry for themselves. Instead they just set about re-establishing their superiority, producing some thrilling football in the process and taking advantage of the fact that their opponents were missing some of their more accomplished players.
Villas-Boas could certainly cite mitigating circumstances given that Mousa Dembélé, so impressive since arriving from Fulham, had joined Scott Parker on the injury list. Perhaps that would not mattered so much but for Gareth Bale having to speed away from White Hart Lane before kick-off because his partner had gone into labour. Deprived of Dembélé and Bale, it was not altogether surprising the home side came up so short at times.
The second comeback of the match began in the 66th minute, Mata firing in a low, left-foot drive after Gallas's poor clearance from Oscar's cross. The Spaniard's second came three minutes later, turning Eden Hazard's pass beyond Brad Friedel at the end of a slick exchange that epitomised the difference between the two sides. By the time Mata dispossessed Kyle Walker and slipped in Sturridge to ensure a miserable day for Friedel on his return to the team, the visiting team might easily have lost count of the number of chances they had accumulated.

The only downside from a Chelsea perspective was the carelessness at the start of the second half. The defending was particularly generous as Jan Vertonghen hooked Tom Huddlestone's free-kick across the six-yard box for Gallas to score. Villas-Boas could also reflect on several presentable opportunities to salvage something when the game was 3-2. For the most part, however, Cahill demonstrated why the absence of Terry need not be too significant.
Gallas, in stark contrast, had a difficult afternoon, at fault to varying degrees for the first three Chelsea goals. Villas-Boas tried to protect his player – "I don't agree," he said. "I wouldn't blame anyone individually" – but there were some straightforward errors. The Frenchman has been a great defender but in the worst moments here he looked like a champion boxer after one fight too many. Cahill's goal was another reminder of his uncommon ability to strike the ball on the volley – Di Matteo talked about the central defender routinely joining the club's front players in extra shooting practice – but it originated from Gallas's weak header out from Hazard's corner. Gallas had to wave an apologetic hand after Mata's first effort and, together with Walker, did not react quickly enough during the build-up to the third Chelsea goal. As for the fourth, Walker will wince when he sees the replays of how he lost the ball to Mata on the touchline. Mata squared and Sturridge tapped into an exposed net.

It had been a stodgy Tottenham performance. Huddlestone's passing has regressed badly and his partnership with Sandro lacked mobility, inferior by some distance to Chelsea's two holding midfielders, Ramires and Mikel John Obi. Perhaps more worryingly for Villas-Boas, Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson are taking their time adapting. Early days, but Chelsea look like title contenders, just as Villas-Boas had planned but with a different manager in place.


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Telegraph:

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Chelsea
Jason Burt, White Hart Lane

So much talk had been of the individual in the run-up to this encounter – that individual being Tottenham’s head coach Andre Villas-Boas – that it was probably appropriate that there was another sole factor that proved decisive: individual brilliance.
There were also individual failings, and another former Chelsea employee, William Gallas, will want to quickly forget his contribution. He may have scored his first goal in Spurs colours but the central defender – and captain – was at fault numerous times.
There was another individual mistake at the end, with Kyle Walker woefully surrendering possession allowing Chelsea to score a fourth goal but by then, as Villas-Boas said, the game was up.
“We lost the opportunity to bring them down,” Villas-Boas admitted. His analysis centred on that mercurial triumvirate of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard playing behind a lone striker, in this instance Fernando Torres.
“Amazing,” was Villas-Boas’s verdict and Mata, who scored two and should have claimed a hat-trick, was especially deserving of praise, with Gary Cahill – another of Chelsea’s goalscorers – hailing the Spaniard as a “magician”.
He certainly bewitched Gallas and Co in what was a mesmerising encounter.
The hosts were hampered by losing Moussa Dembélé to a late hip injury and the absence of Gareth Bale to attend the birth of his child. Without their two most decisive and dynamic players, Spurs’ task grew all the greater.
Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon picked up the baton and the way in which the hosts flew out of the blocks in the second-half, turning a deficit into an advantage, was gripping. But this Chelsea side are developing into something special, with Villas-Boas suggesting their early form is similar to that shown by Manchester City last season.
There will be encouragement for Chelsea’s rivals in their continuing vulnerability. They were without John Terry, who was serving the first match of his four-game ban for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, and his galvanising qualities were missed.
Ashley Cole, who has had his own troubles, was superb at times as Chelsea claimed a victory that showed that they are real title contenders. This was their first win at White Hart Lane since 2005 and brought to an end Spurs’ record of not having been defeated in 20 London derbies.
All of that will hurt Villas-Boas, but he was scrupulous in not making it personal. Spurs have their own goals this season, he said, and if losing this match yet reaching those targets is what he achieves, then he will be satisfied.
His successor at Stamford Bridge, Roberto Di Matteo, talked of Chelsea passing a “big test of character” after another difficult week, although he added: “This [the Terry racism saga] has been going on for a long time and we have managed to get the players to focus. They were not distracted.”
They certainly were not. When the ball is played up to Mata, Oscar and Hazard, all hell can break loose. Such is their trickery, fluidity, comfort in possession and sharpness of thought, that Chelsea will always have an opportunity to damage their opponents. Torres played well too, but it’s undeniable that with a more lethal striker, this Chelsea forward line would be pretty much unstoppable.
Unstoppable is the only way to describe Cahill’s goal. Gallas erred – weakly heading a corner back across the box and the ball plopped down to Cahill, who struck the sweetest and fiercest of volleys past unsighted goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Gradually Spurs eked out chances, with Petr Cech spilling a Defoe drive and Gylfi Sigurdsson screwing a shot wide on the turn. Mata should have added a second though when his first-time effort was saved by Friedel only for him to sky the follow-up.
Villas-Boas clearly had words at half-time, and his side were transformed. First Jan Vertonghen retrieved a free-kick and Gallas – who had earlier scuffed a volley when unmarked on goal – turned it over the line. Then Lennon ran at the defence, his mis-hit shot fell to Defoe who fired the ball home.
But as Villas-Boas implored his players to calm things down, Chelsea stepped on the gas. After Gallas was fortunate not to concede a penalty, the defender half-cleared a cross straight to Mata, who shot into the corner of the goal. There was then a wonderful, incisive pass from Hazard to pick out Mata’s run – which was unchecked – and he steered the ball around Friedel for a sixth goal in five games.
Spurs attempted to come back and a low shot from Walker, from fully 35 yards, was just about turned around the post by Cech. In injury-time, substitute Daniel Sturridge ended any doubt as he tapped in from Mata’s low cross after Walker made the final individual mistake.
A sad post-script to the match was that Walker felt forced to delete his Twitter account last night because of abuse from disgruntled supporters reacting to his indifferent form this season
Walker tweeted: “If I said what I thought to these people I would get done. Humans make mistakes.”


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Mail:

Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4: Pain for AVB as Mata the magician puts Spurs under his spell

By Rob Draper
 
As Andre Villas-Boas surveyed the scene, the thought must have occurred to him that the scenario was near-perfect: a slickly-entertaining Chelsea team was playing high tempo, yet intricate, football and winning a thrilling game without Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard or John Terry.
In other words, precisely the mission Roman Abramovich had charged him with a little over a year ago.

The only downside, of course, is that Villas-Boas is now manager of Tottenham. And well though they contributed to an excellent London derby, they were not a match for this new Chelsea side.

The fact Juan Mata, signed under Villas-Boas, sparkled as he danced his way through Tottenham challenges, can only have added to the ruefulness of the Spurs manager. ‘I thanked him for that,’ said his former assistant, Roberto Di Matteo, with a rare smile.

And difficult though it is to argue with Abramovich’s decision to dispense with  Villas-Boas, given that the Champions League was subsequently won, it is hard to escape the conclusion that had he been asked to work with this team, his task would have been an awful lot easier.

‘The players they have are on a level of form and so  connected with each other, so creative, you can only compliment teams that play like this,’ said Villas-Boas. ‘You have to agree both teams played a good game but you have to accent the trio up front behind the striker were amazing.

‘I think the game was won on individual brilliance from Oscar, Mata and Eden Hazard, who were tremendous today. These are people who can unlock doors and create problems and manage to find gaps and find people because they are extremely creative.
‘This kind of form is what we saw last year with Manchester City.’ As for his new club, they are a different proposition without Gareth Bale and Mousa Dembele.

While Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Jan Vertonghen all contributed performances which at times exposed the vulnerabilities of Chelsea, ultimately, Spurs cannot do without their two most creative  players.

A clutch of players shone for Chelsea — Villas-Boas might have added Ramires to the list — but Mata was the star. He scored two, made another and missed a sitter; all this from a player who cannot make the Spain squad.

Chelsea’s early superiority translated into a goal on 17 minutes with a superb volley from Gary Cahill that belied his status as a centre half, though William Gallas’ clearing header that looped into his path was poor.

Tottenham lurched out of their complacency and Defoe responded with a shot that Petr Cech parried, while Ashley Cole had to hook away before Clint Dempsey struck.  Lennon delivered a troublesome cross which Cahill  managed to clear but only to Gylfi Sigurdsson, who fired wide.

Chelsea had the best chance to score the second goal of the game when Ramires broke from midfield and fed Mata, whose strike was smartly saved by Brad Friedel. The rebound fell to Mata eights yards out but he scooped his shot over.

The period prior to and immediately after half-time saw Tottenham in full flow.

First came the chances from Dempsey, desperately blocked by John Obi Mikel, and Defoe, cleared off the line by Cole.

Then came the equaliser after the break, with Tottenham level within 90 seconds when Tom Huddlestone’s free-kick was headed back across goal by Vertonghen for Gallas to head in almost on the goal-line.

By the time Tottenham went ahead on 55 minutes — Defoe meeting Lennon’s through-ball with an excellent finish —White Hart Lane was in full voice and Chelsea were on the back foot.

But momentum was transformed again by that man Mata with two goals in three minutes. First, Oscar crossed and Gallas again cleared weakly, allowing Mata to strike into the bottom right-hand co
Then came the move of the match, Oscar, Mata and Mikel combining to bamboozle Tottenham before Hazard provided such a perfect, threaded ball through for Mata, that it would have been a travesty not to score. Mata was equal to the task, finishing calmly.

Though Lennon and Kyle Walker tested Cech with long-range strikes, Chelsea grabbed their fourth when Walker dallied, allowing Mata to steal the ball and square along the goal-line for substitute Daniel  Sturridge to tap in.

‘Andre, Andre, what’s the score?’ chanted the Chelsea fans, gleefully.

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Mirror:

Tottenham Hotspur 2-4 Chelsea: Juan Mata double inspires Chelsea and ruins AVB's day
Matt Law

William Gallas and Jermain Defoe put Tottenham ahead after Gary Cahill's fine volley, but the Spaniard struck twice to continue Chelsea's fine form

Who needs John Terry? Certainly not Chelsea if this latest victory is anything to go by.
As Terry served the first of his four-game ban, it may just have dawned on him that he is no longer indispensable.
Gary Cahill, his replacement, scored a wonderful volley, the team rallied themselves without Terry after falling behind and stand-in captain Petr Cech produced a string of great saves. The message was loud and clear. Chelsea are in the Premier League title race to stay – with or without their captain, leader, legend.
This is a new Chelsea. One full of youth, vitality, ­creativity and goals – epitomised by the brilliant display of Juan Mata against Spurs. It is no longer a team that relies so heavily on the old names.
And, just as Chelsea can cope without Terry, Spurs may do well to look past one of their veterans.
William Gallas might have scored against his former club, but the ­defender was also at fault for three of Chelsea’s goals. Michael Dawson was once again on the bench, but manager Andre Villas-Boas may need to ­review that decision.
Thanks to Gallas, Villas-Boas suffered an unhappy reunion with the club that sacked him. It must have hurt when the Chelsea fans sang ‘Andre, what’s the score’ after substitute Daniel Sturridge tapped in the visitors’ fourth goal.
What transpired to be a ­wonderful game was sparked into life when a poor header from Gallas was volleyed past Brad Friedel by Cahill.
Without Gareth Bale, whose girlfriend was in labour, ­Tottenham laboured through parts of the first period.
Villas-Boas was not famed for his motivational skills ­during his unhappy time at Chelsea, but whatever he said at half-time did the trick. Spurs flew out of the blocks.
 Just two minutes after the break, Tom Huddlestone swung over a cross that Jan Vertonghen turned back into the six-yard box and Gallas nodded the ball in.
When Jermain Defoe then turned in a scuffed cross from Aaron Lennon seven minutes later, it appeared revenge may be on the cards for Villas-Boas.
This was the moment when Chelsea teams of old would have looked to Terry for some chest-pumping words of encouragement, but this group can count on their invention.
As Spurs assistant Steffen Freund offered up a lesson on how to jump up and down on the touchline without actually doing much of any value, Chelsea struck back.
Gallas once again produced a weak clearance from Oscar’s hopeful cross and Mata ­produced a wonderful finish.
Fernando Torres hesitated to let a good chance pass, but Mata then made and scored a wonderful goal.
The Spaniard laid the ball off to John Mikel Obi, Mikel passed to Eden Hazard and he picked out Mata who slotted the ball into the net. It was not a huge surprise that Gallas had been caught flat-footed.
Spurs threw on Emmanuel Adebayor and piled forwards in search of an equaliser, but Cech spread himself ­brilliantly to keep out Defoe and then Kyle Walker.
It was Walker’s eagerness to get forward that allowed Chelsea to seal the three points.
Mata got free and simply rolled the ball across the goal for Sturridge to tap in.
Nobody had missed Terry – least of all Chelsea.


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Sun:


Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4

By ROB BEASLEY

JUAN MATA bit the hand that signed him with a brilliant double at White Hart Lane.

Throw in his assist for Chelsea’s fourth and the super Spaniard really rubbed it in the face of ex-boss Andre Villas-Boas.

It was AVB who paid £26million to take Mata to Stamford Bridge from Valencia last August — and this was his thank you.

He produced a magical, man-of-the-match performance to sink Spurs — the only criticism being he should have had a hat-trick.

Chelsea went 1-0 ahead with a stunning 17th-minute volley from centre-half Gary Cahill which arched over keeper Brad Friedel.

Then came the chance to put the Blues even more in control of a one-sided first half.

Mata let fly but Friedel managed to parry the effort, although in doing so only teed up the attacker for a second attempt.

However, for once, Mata got it all wrong, blazing over with the American keeper floundering.

It looked a costly miss when Spurs came storming back early in the second half.

There was a hint of handball as ex-Chelsea defender William Gallas hauled Spurs level two minutes after the restart, converting a Tom Huddlestone free-kick.

But there was nothing debatable about the second as seven minutes later the lively Jermain Defoe surged in front of Cahill to sweep Tottenham ahead.

It was Defoe’s 200th career goal and a good one, too, capping another quality display from the England ace. Suddenly Chelsea were reeling. They came to North London having not conceded a second-half Premier League goal this season.

Now here they were shipping two in double-quick time as the game swung alarmingly away from them.

The Lane was really rocking in stark contrast to the library atmosphere of the first 45 minutes.

Although the Blues were shaken they quickly stirred and it was Mata who orchestrated the fightback.

First, with 66 minutes gone, he pounced to coolly steer home an equaliser after Gallas had only half-cleared Oscar’s cross.

Three minutes later he was wheeling away to celebrate another goal as Chelsea stormed back into the lead. And what a goal it was, too. If Cahill’s opener was a strike of the highest individual quality, this was a team goal.

Mata not only started it but fittingly applied the final glorious finishing touch.

He began it with a short pass out to Oscar on the left, the Brazilian gave it him back and Mata quickly moved it on inside to John Obi Mikel.

Next it was at the feet of the alert Eden Hazard who spotted the Spaniard’s surge into the box and picked him out perfectly — and Mata stroked home for 3-2.

It was a sucker-punch that would have flattened most teams, but not Spurs.
Back they came again.

Skipper for the day Petr Cech saved from Aaron Lennon, Defoe and Kyle Walker as the home side threw caution to the wind.

That was always a calculated risk against a side as free-flowing and free- scoring as Chelsea.

Mata tried to capitalise, freeing Fernando Torres into the box with five minutes left.

The £50m man should have killed off any hope of a Spurs comeback but steered his low effort just wide.

Mata was not finished, though, and would have enjoyed his role in Chelsea’s fourth. He had been having a running battle with Walker throughout the match.

And after chasing him down near the touchline the Spurs right-back capitulated comically.

Mata took the loose ball, glided casually into the box then nonchalantly rolled it into the path of the on-rushing Daniel Sturridge who side-footed home.

So Chelsea remain top of the pile after back-to-back away wins in North London.

They clearly like it in these parts — and where is this season’s Champions League final being played?

Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen, Huddlestone (Livermore 67), Sandro, Lennon, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (Adebayor 74), Defoe. Subs not used: Lloris, Naughton, Dawson, Falque, Townsend. Booked: Huddlestone,Gallas, Walker.
Goals: Gallas 47, Defoe 54.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Oscar (Sturridge 83), Hazard (Lampard 90), Mata, Torres. Subs not used: Turnbull, Romeu, Moses, Azpilicueta, Bertrand. Booked: Ivanovic, Ramires.
Goals: Cahill 17, Mata 66, 69, Sturridge 90.

Att: 36,060
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).


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Express:

TOTTENHAM 2 - CHELSEA 4: CHELSEA’S NEW SPECIAL JUAN MATA 
By Jim Holden

MORE than a few Chelsea players made a point of seeking out Andre Villas-Boas to give their old boss a warm and conspicuous embrace before and after the final whistle yesterday – but their generosity extended only that far.
During the game, the new slick Chelsea team being fashioned by Roberto Di Matteo were razor-sharp in their destruction of Spurs.
It was a first home defeat for AVB as Tottenham manager, and although it was no disgrace against such vibrant and accomplished opponents, it was a reminder of the work to be done at White Hart Lane.
Would it have been closer had Tottenham’s talisman Gareth Bale not been absent because his partner had gone into labour yesterday morning? Probably.
But there is an appreciable gulf in class between the football Chelsea are playing right now and the rest of the Premier League. Juan Mata, in particular, is having a purple patch of elegant majesty, while the team as a whole are showing impressive resolve – not only in ignoring the distractions of the John Terry affair, but in fighting back so strongly from 2-1 down early in the second half.
Di Matteo said: “We had a test of character and it was good to win. We are very pleased with the way we are playing but it’s too early to talk about being title contenders. Wait until Christmas for that.”
Chelsea dominated from the start, with control from their attacking trio of midfield miniature musketeers. Oscar, Eden Hazard and Mata weaved magic everywhere, and it was a severe examination of the credentials of young English defenders Kyle Walker and Steven Caulker.
The opening goal came from a more traditional route – a corner curled to the far post by Hazard.Tottenham’s experienced central defender William Gallas could only direct a clearing header to the edge of the penalty box and Gary Cahill had space to thunder home a thrilling volley in the 17th minute.

Much of the pre-match talk had concerned the absence of Terry, starting a four-game suspension. But who needs him with defenders of the calibre of Cahill and David Luiz?
It was a wonderful goal, and at the other end Luiz did sturdy work with a fine saving tackle on the marauding Aaron Lennon.
Chelsea should have scored again before half-time. Another quicksilver move of the type becoming their trademark ended with a drive by Mata that Brad Friedel saved superbly. The rebound fell to Mata but he sliced over the bar.
Spurs were depleted by the absence of Bale and Moussa Dembele, who has a hip injury. Yet they briefly took command in a surging start to the second half.
There was an instant equaliser when a free-kick to the far post was clipped back by Jan Vertonghen for Gallas to head home.
By the 54th minute Spurs were ahead as Lennon’s awkward shot reached Jermain Defoe in the box and he clipped a more decisive drive into the net. Villas-Boas leapt like a jack-in-the-box in celebration on the touchline. It was premature.
This was a test for the new slick Chelsea, and they passed it in the most stylish fashion. Villas-Boas was impressed, saying: “Creativity and brilliance won this game. The trio behind the striker were amazing. You can only compliment a team playing like Chelsea.”
The equaliser came midway through the second half from turnover ball. Oscar crossed from the right, Gallas again fluffed the clearance and Mata steered home a precise shot from 18 yards. Three minutes later Mata scored again, with the composure to chip the onrushing Friedel after a delicious pass from Hazard. Mata’s skill has never been doubted. There is also a fire in his belly this season, as a series of niggles with Spurs defenders illustrated.
Tottenham tried to fight back in what had become a captivating match. They have character too. Lennon’s shot stung the hands of Petr Cech, and the Chelsea keeper only just managed to scoop a long-range shot from Walker round the post.
There was no denying the superiority of Chelsea’s inventive team. They completed the job in stoppage time. Mata, of course, was the catalyst, winning a fight with Walker for the ball out on the left and then delivering a low cross that gave substitute Daniel Sturridge a tap-in. “Andre, Andre, what’s the score?” taunted the visiting fans. Perhaps they had forgotten it was Villas-Boas who signed Mata.
“Yes, I have thanked him for that,” said Di Matteo. Both men knew how much that meant to the result.


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Star:

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 - CHELSEA 4: BLUES ACE JUAN MATA RUNS THE SHOW
Spaniard Mata struck twice and created two more to gloss a five-star performance and ensure Roberto Di Matteo continued his unbeaten start to the season

By Tony Stenson

JUAN MATA made it a happy day for RDM when Chelsea got the better over AVB in a game that had plenty of GBH.
What’s more Chelsea did not miss skipper JT.
Spaniard Mata struck twice and created two more to gloss a five-star performance and ensure Roberto Di Matteo continued his unbeaten start to the season.
The Blues stay top at the expense of inflicting defeat on former boss Andre Villas-Boas.
Five players were booked in a spiky derby that kept both sets of fans on the edge of their seats.
Chelsea had to dig deep to secure victory. After dominating the first half and taking the lead, they were clearly rattled as Spurs came out for the second half with a new focus and aggression.
Skipper William Gallas scored his first goal for his current club against his former one and Jermain Defoe added a second nine minutes later to turn the game on its head.
Mata then took over with two goals inside four minutes to spur Chelsea to victory.
Then in added time he set up sub Daniel Sturridge for a fourth, sparking a taunt from Blues fans of ‘Andre, Andre what’s the score?’
Villas-Boas made several of his customary touch-line dances, while Di Matteo remained calm, enhancing his reputation and showing why he easily adapted when given the job of taking over from Villas-Boas 18 league games ago, having lost only three.
Spurs were forced to make changes when ace winger Gareth Bale pulled out just hours before the game, with his girlfriend due to give birth.
It was frantic, passionate but lacking the quality pass until Mata began to take control. And rewards were reaped when Chelsea took the lead after 18 minutes – Gallas tried to head out Eden Hazard’s cross but the ball dropped for Gary Cahill to return with venom.
Spurs finally began to put passes together with menace. However, Mata was still orchestrating Chelsea and tested Freidel in the 39th minute.
Spurs equalised within 65 seconds of the restart. Tom Huddlestone swung over a free-kick that Jan Vertonghen hacked back across goal and Gallas dipped to nod in.
Sigurdsson then seemed to wage a one-man war, forcing Chelsea’s defence to flounder – rescued by the odd deflection and Petr Cech’s hands.
Chelsea were rattled and Tottenham added a second in the 54th minute when Jermain Defoe turned in Aaron’s Lennon’s pass.
Mata worked Chelsea back in the game in the 66th minute. And he was there again to score four minutes later
One final pass to Sturridge in added time and his job was done.

==================

Sunday Times:


Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4: Mata makes merry

SO THAT’S all you need: £130.5m. The problem of how to reinvent a football team whose great stars have faded or gone has tested owners and managers since the game became professional. The men who have proved best at it — Herbert Chapman, Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Bob Paisley — are considered visionaries. Chelsea have come up with a less romantic way. But that doesn’t mean no credit is due for the kaleidoscopic and coruscating ensemble at the top of the Premier League. You can dip into your bottomless pit of pounds and roubles but you still have to ensure your executives spend wisely, so credit to Roman Abramovich — whatever soap operas and absurdities have gone on with Chelsea recruitment in the past — for bringing together Oscar (£25m), Eden Hazard (£32m) and the part-artist, part-workaholic that is Juan Mata (£23.5m). Even Fernando Torres, the owner’s £50m indulgence, is doing his bit with this electric trio behind him.


In a tremendous match Tottenham were good but Chelsea were better and forward lines made the difference. Spurs surged from 1-0 down to 2-1 ahead after upping their intensity at the start of the second half but then Chelsea upped the genius levels.
 With Oscar and Hazard creating, Mata scored two goals then fashioned one himself out of nothing for Daniel Sturridge to finish. 4-2.
 Credit to Roberto di Matteo also. Many coaches are given lavish or expensive player options but don’t know how to combine them. In 2012-13, Di Matteo has applied to Chelsea’s Premier League football a different style but the same principles — clear decision-making, man management, tactical fearlessness — that he used, victoriously, in the Champions League in 2011-12. Perhaps nobody since Jose Mourinho has kept the big personalities and the mega-paid in Chelsea’s dressing room so unified.
 The club’s first league win at White Hart Lane since Mourinho triumphed here in 2005 was achieved with Frank Lampard on the bench and John Terry banned. The Terry racism saga kept throwing up stories but Di Matteo focused his players and achieved a result. If the saga reflects badly on Chelsea off the pitch, on it nothing can deflect from the magic of Mata and Co.
 The tap-in for Sturridge that settled the result a few seconds into stoppage time was teed up by the Iberian, who pressed Kyle Walker out on the touchline, stole possession, advanced and rolled a pass across the goalmouth. It demonstrated Mata’s extraordinary levels of effort — still sharp, still chasing after 90 minutes of a super-intense derby. His two goals showed more cerebral and technical qualities.
 Strikes in the first nine minutes of the second period, from William Gallas and Jermain Defoe, put Spurs 2-1 up and an increase in the speed of their pressing, passing and counterattacking was behind their revival but, as Andre Villas-Boas noted, his players needed to consolidate when ahead.
 “We were too frenetic,” he said. When Jan Vertonghen lost possession when trying to go on another run down the left, Chelsea grabbed the initiative. Oscar crossed, Gallas’ clearing header was poor and Mata placed a shot inside Brad Friedel’s far post. Soon 2-2 became 3-2, when Mata went one on one with Friedel and finished confidently. He had executed his run with exquisite timing to stay onside and reach Hazard’s gorgeously weighted through ball after an ingenious passing exchange involving Oscar and John Obi Mikel.
 It was exactly the football that Andre Villas Boas, who signed Mata, wanted to impose on Chelsea and the beaten manager was generous. “Their players are on a level of form, so connected with each other, you can only compliment teams like this. Tottenham played well but we have to accept the trio behind the striker was amazing,” Villas-Boas said.
 His formation was the same as Di Matteo’s, though his principles were a little different. There is an impressive mix in Chelsea’s football under Di Matteo: they have spells of possession, spells of playing a blistering counterattacking game. Ramires’ readiness to join his forwards increases their dimensions and the swapping of passes and positions by Mata, Oscar and Hazard offers fluidity. Torres’ finishing is still reduced but his running does stretch opposing defences.
 Tottenham’s game is more focused on ball retention and Villas-Boas was compromised by the loss of his playmaker, Moussa Dembele, with a hip injury. Spurs were just as affected by the absence of Gareth Bale, whose girlfriend went into labour a few hours before kick-off.
 The three players they had behind their striker, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Clint Dempsey and Aaron Lennon, did not carry the danger of Chelsea’s, even if Lennon sparkled intermittently.
 Chelsea led after 17 minutes when one of their centre-backs came over all Brazilian, but it wasn’t David Luiz. At a corner, another poor clearing header by Gallas dropped near the penalty spot and Cahill lost Steven Caulker and got ahead of Walker to strike a volley beyond Friedel.
 Cahill’s defending wasn’t as good as his attacking, though, and his weak header fell to Lennon. He set up Sigurdsson, who shot wide. Mata, in his only bad moment, skied a rebound from Friedel’s parry, with the goal open, after Ramires led a break.
 Spurs finished the first half strongly, with Cahill and Mikel making blocks from Demspey and Ashley Cole clearing a Defoe cross-shot off the line. Summoning similar verve at the start of the second period, they scored twice.
 Vertonghen hooked Huddlestone’s free kick back across goal and Gallas glanced home. Then Lennon, not for the first time, unbalanced Cole with his dribbling skills and used a gap this created to cross. Defoe got between Cahill and Luiz to score. There will be few better games this season.
 “We play good football but ultimately we want to win games,” said Di Matteo. Players such as Mata look capable of being not just bill-toppers but topping tables too.

 Tottenham: Friedel 6, Walker 6, Gallas 5, Caulker 5, Vertonghen 7, Huddlestone 5 (Livermore 67min), Sandro 6, Lennon 7, Sigurdsson 5, Dempsey 6 (Adebayor 74min), Defoe 8

 Chelsea: Cech 5, Ivanovic 6, Luiz 6, Cahill 7, Cole 6, Ramires 7, Mikel 6, Oscar 7 (Sturridge 83min), Hazard 8 (Lampard 90min), Mata 9, Torres 6

norwich 4-1

Independent:

No tweets or trials as Chelsea make their point on the pitch
Chelsea 4 Norwich City 1: Roberto Di Matteo's impressive team set aside a turbulent week to extend their lead at the top

Nick Szczepanik

So, back to the football, with both Chelsea and Norwich City relieved to switch attention to the pitch after off-field matters had made the headlines during the week. Well, Chelsea were, coming back from a goal down to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.

The fact that neither Ashley Cole nor John Terry was involved in anything controversial will disappoint the headline writers, but Roberto Di Matteo, the Chelsea manager, was happy that his team had not been distracted, recording their fifth successive winand their sixth in seven league matches.
"Results tell us that we are able to blank things out and focus entirely on our aim, which is to win football games," Di Matteo said. "It proves how professional the group is. We concentrate on our strengths and the team is in healthy form. We are creating lots of chances and scoring lots of goals.
"There hasn't been any special talk [to Terry or Cole]. I judge them on what I see on the training ground and when they are there they are fully focused."
Norwich are reported to be suing Paul Lambert, the former manager, but their supporters will be more concerned about the continuing downward drift of the team now managed by Chris Hughton.
Without a win this season and now second from bottom of the table, they found Chelsea's attacking midfield trio of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard far too much to handle. Mata was in especially dominant form, playing a part in three of the four goals.
Chelsea's defence, though, was as unconvincing as the FA had found John Terry's to be during his hearing, allowing Norwich several clear chances.
Perhaps an early sign of their opponents' fallibility made Chelsea complacent as Fernando Torres slipped through the offside trap and ran clear only to allow Leon Barnett to recover.
Norwich took the lead after 11 minutes with Chelsea doing little more than spectate. Wesley Hoolahan made an unchecked run down the left, crossed beyond the far post where Barnett nodded the ball back to Grant Holt. The forward had peeled away to the edge of the penalty area and had all the space he needed to shoot low past Petr Cech before Terry could block.
But three minutes later Chelsea were level as Frank Lampard's diagonal pass found Mata in space on the right. The Spain midfielder backheeled the ball to Branislav Ivanovic, and when the full back's cross arced into the area, Torres timed his run to jump above Barnett and glance the ball past John Ruddy.
All was still not well in the Chelsea rearguard. Alexander Tettey was allowed a free header that he nodded sideways instead of into goal, and Bradley Johnson shot straight into Cech's arms when the ball was returned into the centre.
Yet it hardly mattered with their attacking players in such irresistible form. After 22 minutes they were ahead when Russell Martin blocked an attempted bicycle kick by Torres only for the ball to run to Lampard and the England midfielder sent a skidding volley past Ruddy from 18 yards.
A third nearly arrived in the 25th minute when Oscar's cross from the right found the head of Cole, but he nodded it wide, and Stamford Bridge was spared any possible rehearsed celebration, to relief, no doubt, in several quarters.
Six minutes later, Chelsea scored the goal of the match. Mata won the ball well inside his own half, ran 50 yards and caressed a perfectly weighted pass through the right side of the Norwich defence for Hazard to slip past Ruddy without breaking stride.
Having conceded five on two occasions this season, Norwich must have feared at least a repeat as Oscar was denied twice by Ruddy, and two appeals for penalties for tumbles by Hazard were turned down.
They seemed to have weathered the storm after that as Chelsea kept the ball and Norwich, for the most part, kept a respectful distance. But in the 76th minute Chelsea roused themselves for a final flourish, when Ivanovic reacted quickly to volley home after Mata had returned a cross from the left.
"I was more disappointed at half time than I was at the end," said Hughton. "After scoring the first goal, we needed to stay in the game for longer. As a team we're not defending well enough. We haven't started as well as we would have liked, and the season is going to test us. But against a top team we managed to be a bit of a threat."

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta, 78), David Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel (Romeu, 82), Lampard (Ramires, 67); Mata, Hazard, Oscar; Torres.

Norwich (4-4-1-1): Ruddy; Martin, Bassong (R Bennett, 77), Barnett, Garrido; E Bennett, Howson, Tettey, Johnson (Pilkington, 68); Hoolahan; Holt (Morison, 76).

Referee: Andrew Taylor.
Man of the match: Mata (Chelsea)
Match rating: 7/10

======================


Observer:

Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic seals emphatic win over Norwich City

Paul Doyle at Stamford Bridge

At least Chelsea are getting things right on the pitch. A week in which the fallout from the John Terry race case contaminated the club even further concluded with a gleaming victory against a Norwich City side that took the lead before being blown away. The European champions' style in other regards is questionable, but the increased panache with which they are playing is pleasing.
The Chelsea manager, Roberto Di Matteo, has spoken constantly since the start of the season of his determination to rotate his squad to preserve the team at full freshness for the arduous campaign ahead, but he clearly felt no need to shield two of his most senior players from the intense scrutiny that they are currently under as Terry and Ashley Cole were included from the start.
The publication on Friday of the FA disciplinary panel's justification for finding Terry guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand – which included the suggestion that unreliable evidence from Cole helped cover up the offence – does not appear to have diminished the pair's standing at Stamford Bridge.
Terry, who will use the international break to mull over whether to appeal against the FA's finding, retained the captaincy, the large banner reading "JT CAPTAIN, LEADER, LEGEND" was displayed as prominently as ever and when each players' name was announced before kick-off, the scornful boos of Norwich fans were drowned out by worshipful cheers from the blue-clad faithful. The home crowd continued belting out hymns to the Chelsea duo throughout.
Chelsea's opponents, however, did not seem so eager to give them an easy ride. In the corresponding fixture last season, Grant Holt gave Terry the sort of bullying he has seldom endured and the striker started here as if intent on dishing out similar treatment.
The Norwich striker evaded Terry in the 11th minute to open the scoring with a fine goal, firing the ball into the net from 10 yards out after Leon Barnett had nodded a Wes Hoolahan cross into his path.
The slickness of that goal contrasted alarmingly with Norwich's chaotic defending. Within three minutes Chelsea were level. Juan Mata backheeled the ball to Branislav Ivanovic, who clipped it towards the six-yard box, where Fernando Torres was allowed to head it, unchallenged, into the net.
The Spaniard had squandered a clear chance in the second minute, his lack of confidence leading him to hesitate long enough for Sébastien Bassong to atone for sloppy marking and win back the ball, but the goal emboldened the Chelsea striker.
His extravagant overhead kick attempt was blocked by Bradley Johnson in the 22nd minute, but the ball broke to Frank Lampard, who dispatched it emphatically into the bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the box.
The tricky trio of Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard now took charge, embroidering fluent moves with gorgeous touches. Norwich were frequently beguiled, even if they did still pose intermittent threats going forward, Alexander Tettey even spurning a great chance to plunder a second goal when he headed way off target after neat work down the right by Hoolahan and Russell Martin.
Mata created Chelsea's third, running 40 yards before slipping a perfectly timed pass to Hazard, who slotted past the Norwich keeper, John Ruddy, to make it 3-1. Cole, Mikel John Obi and Oscar all went close to aggravating the damage before Holt gave a reminder that Chelsea could not afford to switch off, heading just wide after a cross by Johnson. The striker repeated the warning in the second minute of the second half, leaping high above Terry to meet another Johnson cross and send another header inches past the post.
Norwich's persistent slackness in defence was captured by an incident in the 53rd minute, when Leon Barnett dawdled in his own box and then appeared to shunt Hazard to the ground as the Belgian darted in to claim the ball. But to the visible disbelief of one dug-out and the relief of the other, referee Anthony Taylor decided against awarding a penalty.
Ruddy had to dive at the feet of Mata in the 58th minute to prevent Chelsea from extending their lead after another cutting move by the hosts. The keeper did the same again in the 75th minute to thwart Torres.
Having established almost total control by now, Chelsea turned down the urgency of their approach. With victory apparently secured, enjoying themselves became the priority. As their intricacy quotient increased, they became less clinical. That surely spared Norwich a more severe beating. Ivanovic, however, did deliver another blow in the 77th minute, ramming a fierce shot into the net from 10 yards out after Mata had slightly fortuitously teed him up.
That was the third league goal of the season for a defender who, as much as anyone else, reflects the new flamboyance with which Chelsea strive to play. They now lead the Premier League by four points. "Our start shows we are able to blank things out that are surrounding us externally and focus on our target and job, which is to win matches," said Di Matteo. "It's proven how professional the group is."


===========================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 4 Norwich City 1
By Gerry Cox

The chant came up after 35 minutes, starting in the Matthew Harding Stand, briefly ringing around Stamford Bridge.
“John Terry, Ashley Cole,” they sang, once more intertwining the two Chelsea team-mates who have enjoyed so much success at the club on the field – and caused so much disruption as well.
The siege mentality has again gripped the Bridge – the sense that the club or, at least, its fans will circle the wagons against the world. Champions of Europe and enemies of football?
Opinions have become so entrenched, so intransigent that it really did not matter what the Football Association’s independent commission said about Chelsea’s captain and the club’s best defender.
Chelsea, the club, are also stung. There is simmering anger at the criticisms in the report levelled at club secretary Dave Barnard whose recollections were condemned as “materially defective”. Given his 35 years’ service, that has hurt.

Chelsea are considering how best to challenge that criticism – not least because it has led to accusations that, corporately, the club is guilty but also that Barnard has been attacked. There is even talk of some kind of statement rebuking the FA.
Whatever they say they will, in the end, have to take it on the chin. They will have to also reflect on whether the control of their players is sufficient, whether the accusation – that has run throughout the Abramovich years – that they have been raised to dangerously elevated status, some claiming to have the owner’s ear, others to have holidayed on one of his yachts, remains true.
Terry (and now Fernando Torres) has symbolised this more than anyone – talking of his chats with “Roman” and how he has been consulted by the Russian billionaire while it appears Cole has also been allowed to do what he wants at times. After all, he is a man who shot an intern with an air rifle but was not made to apologise.
One of the reasons cited for sacking Carlo Ancelotti as manager was that he wasn’t enough of a disciplinarian; the players were blamed for the problems suffered by Andre Villas-Boas, who was urged to be tougher; his successor Roberto Di Matteo, we were told, would be hard with them also, although the evidence of that is debatable.
Instead Chelsea have quickened the process of rejuvenating the team; bringing in younger players, moving on the old guard. Terry’s influence is not what it was; Cole is unlikely to be offered a new contract. Things are changing.
There will have been a sense of trepidation that yesterday, in the wake of the Terry report and Cole’s Twitter rant, the supporters could have veered into dangerous territory with some of their chants. Would they go too far with the FA? With Anton Ferdinand? In truth, it was all low-key, perfectly behaved.
There was chorus of “he tweets what he wants” – a sign of the times? – and another backing of “Terry and Cole” but, more than that, the fans revelled in their status as supporting the club that won the Champions League last season. They also lauded Di Matteo who responded by tapping his chest.
At times, Chelsea have tried to defend the indefensible with Terry and Cole. On Saturday, in Norwich City, they faced a side whose defending was indefensible. Chelsea remain unconvincing themselves at the back – pushed and, at times, bullied by the bullish Grant Holt who opened the scoring – but going forward they are peerless even with the still-unconvincing Torres. Just how potent would they be with a more lethal striker?
Di Matteo discussed later what is a recurring theme at Chelsea – the ability to push aside distractions. “The results are telling us that we are able to blank things out and we can focus on what is our aim and target and job and that’s to win football games,” he said. “It’s proven how professional the group is and how well they respond to it.
“I speak to my players all the time and it’s not just because of these issues. There hasn’t been any special talks. I judge them on what I see on the training pitch and they are fully focused and professional.” Off the pitch? That can be different as Di Matteo confirmed that, rightly, Cole will be disciplined.
There was little to tax Chelsea yesterday – and it was interesting that Di Matteo felt the need to field such a strong line-up at home against a struggling side such as Norwich. There was no start for the likes of Victor Moses. Di Matteo, perhaps mindful of the engulfing controversy, did not want to take any chances.
Torres did not look like he wanted to take any chances either, blowing an early opportunity when clean through, demonstrating again that, frankly, his nerve has gone. Would they pay the price? With Terry hobbling after a collision, Holt took advantage. Wes Hoolihan’s cross was headed back by Leon Barnett and Holt met the ball crisply to strike a low, powerful shot past Petr Cech.
Chelsea didn’t hang around. Quickly Frank Lampard picked out the again wonderful Juan Mata who cleverly back-heeled to Branislav Ivanovic. He picked out Torres and, this time, he steered his header into the net. After Alex Tettey and Bradley Johnson wasted chances, Chelsea went ahead. This time the ball ping-ponged around the penalty area, with Torres’ overhead kick blocked. The rebound ran to Lampard whose fierce first-time shot was buried in the corner of the goal.
The third followed with Mata again at the heart of it – winning possession in his own half and running on before slipping a pass through to Eden Hazard who, in his stride, arced his right-foot shot around Ruddy. More would surely follow? Only one, Mata improvising to flick Oscar’s cross to Ivanovic and he struck a fulminating, powerful shot past a stunned Ruddy.

Match details

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta 78), Terry, Luiz, Cole; Mata, Mikel (Romeu 83), Lampard (Ramires 67), Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
Subs not used: Turnbull, Moses, Cahill, Bertrand

Norwich: Ruddy; Martin, Bassong (R Bennett 78), Barnett, Garrido; E Bennett, Hoolahan, Howson, Tettey, Johnson (Pilkington 68); Holt (Morison 77)
Subs not used: Bunn, Turner, Snodgrass, Jackson.

Referee: A Taylor
Att: 41,784


========================

Mail:

Chelsea 4 Norwich 1: In trouble off the pitch, but on it life is perfect for Terry and Cole
By Rob Draper

If only matters were confined to the football, Chelsea would be experiencing a tranquil start to the season: champions of Europe, four points clear at the top and the crowd chanting: 'There's only one Di Matteo' in honour of the manager.
What could possibly taint this happy scenario? Of course, life is never that simple at Chelsea.

On Saturday John Terry, having been found guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand by an FA disciplinary commission, was raucously cheered as he lingered in the centre circle at the end of the game and made his way towards the Matthew Harding Stand to reciprocate, before walking off to further adulation like some departing hero.
And Ashley Cole, whose value as a witness for his team-mate was also thrown into doubt by that commission, and who is being disciplined by his club for abusing the FA, was the beneficiary of numerous appreciative chants throughout the match.
Such is the nature of football support: unquestioning and unwavering in the face of any evidence.
Had either taken the good goalscoring chances they received, doubtless the response would have been rapturous.
As it was, this was an afternoon when their undoubted defensive qualities went largely untested.

'I judge them on what I see at the training ground and in the games, and when they are there they are fully focused and professional. And that's how I pick my team,' said Di Matteo, when asked whether he considered resting either.

'The results are telling us we are able to blank things out and can focus on our aim. It's proven how professional the group are.'
Indeed, Chelsea overcame the early shock of going a goal down to produce a dominant performance, aided, it should be said, by some awful defending.
The diminutive trio of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard are improving week by week as the nexus of Chelsea's attacking play, with Mata dictating large portions of this game.
Unlike some previous Chelsea managers that spring to mind, Di Matteo does not relish the 'us against the world' mentality.

'That's not what we feel,' he said. 'We concentrate on our strengths and try to win games with players who have the football philosophy we're aiming at.'
For Norwich, still without a win in the Premier League this season, this was a depressing outing, the third time they have conceded four or more goals in six games.
'I was more angry and disappointed at half-time than I was at the end,' said manager Chris Hughton, grasping at positives.

'After taking the lead, we needed to stay in the game longer. You know it's going to be tough coming here, you know they'll have the lion's share of the possession, but when you score so early you have to stay in the game longer.'
Norwich bring to mind the cliché about scoring too early. It was a well-worked goal, the excellent Wes Hoolahan crossing for Leon Barnett to head the ball back for Grant Holt inside the area.

The centre-forward caught the ball sweetly on the halfvolley and even though Petr Cech should have done better, the move deserved such a fine finale.
Nevertheless, there were a full 79 minutes to play and it always seemed unlikely that Norwich would hold out. Still, they might have hoped to last more than the three minutes it took for Mata to knock a ball back to Branislav Ivanovic, whose cross was glanced home by the head of Fernando Torres.
Equally, having conceded their advantage, Norwich could ill afford to miss another great opportunity when Hoolahan - who at times appeared to be playing Chelsea on his own -crossed for Alex Tettey, who stooped to head wide on 20 minutes.
Within two minutes Frank Lampard had punished that imprecision, after he met a deflected Torres overhead kick on the edge of the box with a fine half-volley into the left-hand corner, thereby equalling Bobby Tambling's top-flight record of 129 goals for Chelsea.
There were only 12 minutes to count before the third goal had been added, with Norwich in disarray, conceding from their own corner. Mata picked up the ball well in his own half, ran for 40 yards before releasing Eden Hazard with an exquisite pass, matched by the Belgian's run.
Hazard simply side-footed past John Ruddy and the game was as good as complete.
Hughton took some consolation from the fact that Norwich were better in the second half - though by then the result was never in doubt.
Even so, Ruddy had to be at his best to prevent further scoring, denying Oscar, Mata and Torres at different points.

And Chelsea might have had second-half penalties when Hazard was blocked by Barnett and went down under a challenge from Jonathan Howson.
Still, a fourth goal was always the more likely outcome and it came on 76 minutes.
Mata flicked a cross back to Ivanovic and the Serb volleyed home from close range to complete the rout. Happy days at Stamford Bridge: superficially, at least.


=============================

Mirror:


Chelsea 4-1 Norwich City: Blues go four points clear after putting four past the Canaries
The visitors took a shock lead through Grant Holt, but were soon pegged back by a rampant home side

The message from SW6 was as loud as it was clear. Chelsea are in title-winning mode, no question.
More severe tests are yet to come. Indeed they are on the immediate horizon with a trip to White Hart Lane and a visit from Manchester United.
Both will provide more ­resistance than a Norwich team who are ­conceding goals at an ­alarming rate.
But after recovering from a shock lead, given to Norwich by Grant Holt, Chelsea ­recovered to blow the ­Canaries away with first-half goals from Fernando Torres, Frank ­Lampard and Eden Hazard – and a second-half strike from Branislav Ivanovic.
Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo said: “We controlled the game and we were always on the front foot.”
And he praised the powers of concentration of his players who put aside the controversy of the past week to produce an emphatic ­performance.
“I think the results are ­telling us that we are able to block things out and that we can focus on our target to win ­football matches,” he said.
“It shows how professional the players are. I had no doubts about playing Ashley Cole and John Terry after the last week. I judge them on what I see on the training ground.”
Di Matteo also revealed that there could be a doubt about Lampard for the England World Cup qualifiers against San Marino on Friday and in Poland next Tuesday.
“He felt a little bit of a ­problem behind his knee so we took him off as a ­precaution,” said Di Matteo. “He will be assessed in the morning.”
Di Matteo made it clear that as Chelsea push for glory on all fronts, he will make full use of the squad he has ­assembled. “We have options and we will use those options,” he said.
Norwich manager Chris Hughton acknowledged that he will need to tighten up his defence with his team still searching for their first win of the season.
“We are not defending well enough,” he said. “After taking the lead we needed to be in the game longer. I believe we can still stay up but we must stop conceding poor goals.”
Norwich have the worst goal difference of minus 12 in the Premier League. “We have to tighten up,” he admitted.
Despite the Canaries’ ­problems at the back, they took the lead in the 11th minute. Wes Hoolahan crossed from the left, Leon Barnett headed down and Holt fired home impressively.
For three minutes it was a dream for Norwich. Then came a 76-minute nightmare as Chelsea turned up the heat to leave Norwich gasping. Within three minutes they were level after Ivanovic crossed and Torres headed home.
Come the 22nd minute and Chelsea were ahead. Torres pressured Norwich into a hasty clearance, the ball fell to Lampard at the edge of the area and he drove into the net. There was even a rumour that Torres actually smiled ­following the goal as ­Chelsea looked to cement their place at the top of the league table.
But if there was a moment that highlighted Chelsea’s speed of thought and ­movement, it came just after the half hour with the third goal.
Juan Mata broke from inside his own half and accelerated ­towards the Norwich goal. He had only Hazard for company and the five Norwich ­defenders retreating in front of him looked favourites to snuff out the danger. One ­exquisite throughball baffled the quintet and Hazard’s finish was superbly accurate.
Chelsea, understandably, dropped down a gear in the second half.
But just to quash any ideas of a heroic ­comeback from the visitors, Ivanovic shot fiercely in the 76th minute after the impressive Mata had set him up.


======================

Sun:

Chelsea 4 Norwich 1

By ROB BEASLEY

AFTER all the ugliness and acrimony of recent days, we were finally treated to something beautiful.

A club mired and marred by the actions of two of its biggest stars responding in the best possible fashion.

With a breathtaking display of open, attacking football to wash away the foul taste of racism and rancour, of tweets and t**ts.

For the champions of Europe put on a display worthy of the title — a swashbuckling demonstration of why they are also Premier League leaders.

A team which is fast becoming the envy of all the others.

And they did it after going a goal behind to a Norwich team who did their utmost to heap more trouble on the Londoners.

Visiting skipper Grant Holt hammered home a first-time shot on 11 minutes to send the Canaries supporters into song.

The reaction, though, was swift and sweet.

Fernando Torres glanced in a flying header to superbly convert a fine cross from the right by Branislav Ivanovic.

It was the Spaniard’s fifth goal of the season so far and fourth in the league — that is something he did not achieve until April 29 last season.
And then, fittingly, the man who has long been the acceptable face of Chelsea, Frank Lampard, took centre stage.

An attempted overhead kick from Torres was blocked but rebounded to the Blues midfielder, who was lurking on the edge of the box.

And Norwich keeper John Ruddy was left powerless as Lamps found the back of the net with a trademark 20-yard right-footer.

It was his 129th Premier League goal for Chelsea, making him the Blues’ joint-highest scorer in the top flight alongside 1960s hero Bobby Tambling.
But, for once, Lampard was surpassed in the man-of-the- match stakes thanks to the brilliance of Juan Mata.

Two Champions League goals in midweek were followed by two assists at the Bridge.

The first was one of the most exciting and extravagant assists of the season so far.

Mata romped free from deep in his own half on a one-man counter-attack.

In fact he was so quick out of the blocks that he even had to slow down and wait for his team-mates to catch up.

When they did, he paused then rolled an inch-perfect pass between and beyond the Norwich backline for the advancing Eden Hazard to meet with perfection.

And the £32million Belgium star did the rest, curling a low right-foot shot beyond Ruddy for 3-1 on the half hour.

A romp was on the cards.

Oscar’s clever dribble and shot was well saved by Ruddy but the Blues should have added to the score soon after the break.
Hazard was sent flying in the area by the leg and backside of Leon Barnett for the clearest penalty this century.

But referee Anthony Taylor had obviously heard so much about Chelsea’s ‘divers’ recently that he ignored the incident completely.

A glaring mistake but the Blues have only themselves to blame after their recent simulations.

Shame for Lampard, though, who could have gone clear of Tambling’s mark had Roberto Di Matteo’s men been handed the spot-kick.

Oscar sent in a rasping 20-yarder, Mata was denied by Ruddy and Hazard had another penalty claim shunned.

To be fair to him it did look like a push in the back but it was nowhere near as clear-cut as his first claim.

 Torres should have increased Chelsea’s lead with 15 minutes to go as the chances came and went without troubling the scoreboard.

Hazard sent him free but just as he had done in the fourth minute of the first half, he failed to take advantage of a clear opening in the manner a £50m striker should.

His wastefulness was amplified just a minute later when defender Ivanovic showed him exactly how to finish, the right-back smashing a Mata backheel into the back of the net.

That put Mata on seven assists in all competitions this term as he scooped the man-of-the-match award for the second game running.

But the point about Chelsea these days is that there is more than one threat to nullify.

Stopping Mata would be a start but it will not stop this free-flowing Chelsea.

There are Hazard and Oscar to worry about, Torres to shackle and, as always, Lampard to keep in check.

But even if you manage that, Ivanovic or David Luiz will still be lurking to try to win the day.

That is why Chelsea are having their best start since the title-winning season of 2005-06, with six wins out of seven.

Add to that 15 goals and just four conceded and you get the feeling Chelsea are still a mean team but with a licence to thrill at last.

No wonder the fans were singing Di Matteo’s name.

The Italian has given them something to sing and dance about and, even more importantly, put everyone’s focus back on football at last.


====================


Express:

CHELSEA 4 - NORWICH 1: PURE GENIUS, ROB
By Jim Holden

THE demand for Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo was simple at the start of the season: Win the league and win it in style.
On this evidence there is every chance that the young Chelsea boss will follow his backs-to-the-wall capture of the Champions League last season with a major trophy triumph to please the purists.
Another victory that was wonderfully easy on the eye put Di Matteo’s Blues four points clear at the top of the table and looking supreme challengers blessed with panache as well as power.
It was four goals yesterday, but it might have been many more. And they have played much better already this season.
The balance of the side has shifted to youthful dynamism, and that can only be to their benefit amid off-the-field troubles surrounding veteran defenders John Terry and Ashley Cole.
Perhaps the only sign of those woes yesterday was a surprisingly shaky start by the back four.
Norwich ran at the Chelsea rearguard with clever angles and energetic purpose, and were rewarded with the opening goal after 11 minutes.

It was his 129th Premier League goal, putting him equal as Chelsea’s top scorer in the top flight with 1960s legend Bobby Tambling
Wes Hoolahan crossed from the left, the ball was deftly headed down by Leon Barnett and striker Grant Holt steered home an excellent low shot from 15 yards.
Terry flung himself at the ball, but was far too late arriving, and was left flat on his back as the net bulged.
For Chris Hughton’s Canaries, down in the relegation places, this was a false dawn.
Chelsea were stung into a swift reply, Fernando Torres heading home a cross by Branislav Ivanovic for an equaliser three minutes later. Torres had already wasted one golden chance and he remains an erratic enigma.
Torres was involved once more as Chelsea took the lead midway through the first half. When he tried an overhead kick, the ball was deflected into the path of Frank Lampard, who drilled home a coolly taken goal.
It was his 129th Premier League goal, putting him equal as Chelsea’s top scorer in the top flight with 1960s legend Bobby Tambling.
Lampard has been relegated to a holding midfielder these days behind the twinkle-toed trio of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar. But he remains ultra-reliable even with so many miles on the clock.
And just after the half-hour Chelsea were 3-1 up with a thrilling goal that began with a powerful headed clearance by Terry.
Within moments Mata was sprinting forward on the counter-attack and his clinical pass put Hazard free in the penalty area and his calm sidefooted ‘pass’ into the goal was precise and inevitable.
The scoreline hardly flattered the home side, but neither were they at their most fluent, Hazard often more elusive to his team-mates than the opposition.
Holt was a continuing threat for Norwich, twice coming close with headers as he foxed Terry with his sharp movement in the box. He may not be international standard, but there is old-fashioned quality to admire in this chirpy Canary.
As the match wore on so the control of Chelsea became more pronounced. Oscar forced a fine stop from John Ruddy, who then excelled himself with another save at the feet of Mata.
Ruddy will not oust Joe Hart from the England team, but he produced another classy save to keep out a shot from Torres as he ran clear on goal.
It was only a matter of time before Chelsea scored again --- and it was defender Branislav Ivanovic who obliged with a ferocious volley that burst through the hands of Ruddy with quarter of an hour remaining.
By the finish Chelsea had four Spaniards and three Brazilians on the field. No wonder they are beginning to become a side eager to dazzle and entertain.

MAN of the MATCH: JUAN MATA – the classiest of the three young musketeers who are transforming the Chelsea style under the shrewd guidance of Roberto DI Matteo.

CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta 78), Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel (Romeu 82), Lampard (Ramires 67), Mata, Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
NORWICH: Ruddy; R Martin, Barnett, Bassong (R Bennett 78), Garrido; E Bennett, Howson, Hoolahan, Johnson (Pilkington 68), Tettey; Holt (Morison 77).

Ref: A Taylor
Att: 41,784


===================


Star:

CHELSEA 4 - NORWICH 1: CHRIS HUGHTON’S CLUELESS CANARIES GET STUFFED AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

By Paul Brown

THE saints outweighed the sinners at the Garden of Eden yesterday.
That’s what they call Stamford Bridge these days since Eden ­Hazard joined Chelsea, who stretched their lead at the top to four points with this romp.
John Terry, Ashley Cole and club secretary Dave Barnard may have been painted in an extremely bad light this week as the fall-out from the Blues skipper’s race row with Anton Ferdinand continued.
But at least Chelsea’s reputation on the pitch was helped by goals from Hazard, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard and Branislav Ivanovic which left woeful ­ Norwich seeing stars.
Roberto Di Matteo hailed his side afterwards – and insisted he would not be banning Twitter on the back of the Cole controversy.
The Canaries had actually led through Grant Holt’s second of the season but by the end they had been destroyed for the second week running after that 5-2 home defeat to Liverpool.
Even in victory there was ­controversy for Chelsea, though, when Hazard was twice accused of diving after failing to win a penalty from either Leon Barnett or ­Jonathan Howson.
Things are never simple here, are they?
It was no real shock to see both of Chelsea’s bad boys in the ­starting line-up, despite their week of woe. Come on, you didn’t really expect anything else did you?
The Blues were desperate to get the focus back on football after – but the storm surrounding Cole’s controversial tweet on Friday did not stop him going back on Twitter ­yesterday.
Club officials were on red alert again before kick-off when he took to the ­social network just hours after being forced to apologise for branding the FA a “bunch of t***s” on the site.
And luckily for ­Chelsea he ­managed not to insult ­anyone this time, saying merely: “Game time! Can’t wait to get back to what I love ­doing, playing ­football.”
Cole and Terry – who was ­effectively branded a liar by the ­independent panel looking into the race row – can seemingly do no wrong in the eyes of Blues fans.
Some of them were spotted ­wearing “Terry is innocent” ­T-shirts ­yesterday, while both men received warm applause before the match when their names were read out.
The home fans were even singing: “Ashley Cole – he tweets when he wants!” as Lampard split the ­offside trap to send Torres clean through early on.
But Torres passed up a golden ­opportunity to shoot, cutting inside instead and watching the chance disappear.
And within minutes Norwich were in front. Wes Hoolahan swung in a cross, Barnett headed it back and an unmarked Holt smashed home his volley into the bottom corner.
The Canaries were in front for barely three minutes. Juan Mata’s cute backheel found Ivanovic and Torres arrived late in the box to head the equaliser.
When Torres tried an acrobatic overhead kick that was blocked by Russell Martin, the ball fell kindly for Lampard who smashed through a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner.
It was 3-1 before half-time when Mata was allowed to run half the length of the field before slipping in Hazard, who slotted home into the far corner with his first touch.
Torres wasted a one-on-one in the second half but Chelsea were well on top by then and stretched their lead through Ivanovic.
He volleyed home past a despairing John Ruddy.
By then Norwich were begging to be put out of their misery and it looks like being a long hard ­season for Chris Hughton and Co.

nordsjaelland 4-0

Independent:

Di Matteo left relieved after Luiz kills off brave Danes
FC Nordsjaelland 0 Chelsea 4

Steve Tongue
Parken Stadium

A deeply flattering scoreline took Chelsea to the top of the Group E table here last night, though hardly in the grand manner. It required three goals in the last 11 minutes of a pleasingly open match to see off spirited opposition in Nordsjaelland with their insistent possession game, occasionally let down by naive mistakes.

Without John Terry, Chelsea's defence allowed last season's surprise Danish champions some scope and scoring opportunities, but the home side's best period, lasting much of the second half, was brutally truncated. David Luiz added a badly needed second goal direct from a free-kick and it was a case of rubbing it in when Juan Mata scored his second goal of the night and finally Ramires tapped into an empty net.
As expected, Roberto Di Matteo rested one of his new midfield trio in Eden Hazard as well as Jon Obi Mikel and Terry. That meant Frank Lampard taking the captaincy and one of the defensive midfield berths after missing the last two Premier League games, while Victor Moses was given a first start that he did not make the best of. The Spaniard Fernando Torres, maintaining his record as the only outfield player to have started every game this season, worked hard without converting any of his chances, the lack of options made clear by a substitutes' bench devoid of any other striker.

"We expected a difficult game and that's what it was," Di Matteo said. "We were looking for that second goal to close the game off." Until it came, his team had been in danger of dropping further points to add to those frittered away in losing a 2-0 lead at home to Juventus. Now, however, a four-goal bonus has taken them ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk, their next opponents in a double-header.
The home supporters, who normally number no more than 9,000 at their own ground in Farum, must have feared defeat by several goals early on in Copenhagen, but Nordsjaelland recovered well, only to fall behind as a result of their greatest fault, which was over-playing. Even the Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, might not advocate quite as much passing in and around their own penalty area.
Enoch Adu was some 10 yards outside it when Torres brushed him off the ball. He had support in the shape of Lampard, who immediately found Mata for a smart finish. In the opening 10 minutes alone, Oscar drove narrowly wide, Moses headed against a post while clashing heads with the outstanding 20 year-old defender Jores Okore and Lampard showed that he can still race into the penalty area as of old, hitting Mata's pass just too high.

The home side kept their composure and kept passing, however, and it took a fine blocking tackle by Ashley Cole to prevent Kasper Lorentzen sweeping home a cross. After scoring once, Chelsea threatened to do so again, mainly through Torres, who was twice denied by the goalkeeper. Early in the second half Moses also put the ball past Jesper Hansen from a Torres pass but was adjudged to have fouled Michael Parkhurst before doing so.
The holders needed a second goal to feel more comfortable, as was emphasised when Joshua John came inside Ramires with a low shot just wide, Mikkel Beckmann headed Okore's long cross onto the roof of the net and the captain, Nicolai Stokholm, forced Petr Cech to make a low save. With Chelsea suddenly on the back foot, Cech had to push John's shot on to a post and it was Cole who blocked the follow-up from Beckmann.
That proved to be the worst of it, though. Di Matteo had sent on Hazard for the disappointing Moses but it was from a counter-attack that the relief of a second goal came. Torres, fighting hard for everything, was fouled 20 yards out and Luiz hit a free-kick that Cristiano Ronaldo would have admired, dipping over the wall and brushing a post on its way in. That was in the 79th minute and it was very harsh on the home side to concede twice more, well worked as the goals were. Mata wriggled through for the third, giving him four in three games, and Ramires was neatly set up by Oscar.
"We played a tight game for 75 minutes, then collapsed," said the Danish side's coach Kasper Hjulmand. It was a fair summary.

Man of the match Mata.
Match rating 7/10.
Referee M Strahonja (Croa).
Attendance 42,000


==========================


Guardian:


FC Nordsjælland 0  Chelsea 4
Dominic Fifield at Parken Stadium

Chelsea achieved the remarkable on foreign soil in May but there was still something strangely unfamiliar about this. A team which has spluttered too often away from Stamford Bridge in this competition mustered a victory by a margin to send a message to the group, even if plenty about this occasion was deceptive. At first glance this looks a thrashing but against a side still pinching themselves about being in the Champions League at all the holders will not be hoodwinked.

Emphatically as it all ended, with Nordsjaelland running out of steam in the last dozen minutes and wilting at the end, this was anything but a walk in the Parken. If the majority of chances created by the arena's adopted home side were only fleeting sights of goal, usually snuffed out by a blur of blue as a Chelsea player dived in to intercept, then there was genuine anxiety when Joshua John, the Danes' outstanding loanee from Twente, curled an attempt towards the far corner when the holders' lead was still at its most slender. Petr Cech, diving to his left, summoned a staggering save to fingertip the ball on to the post and Nordsjaelland's chance was gone.
"It was a crucial save," said Roberto Di Matteo. "The Danes had nothing to lose at the time and, with the scoreline only 1-0, it was a dangerous time.". He could at least depart encouraged that this own team is winning away again in Europe.

Penalty shoot-outs in Munich aside – and that success in May was one to cherish above all others – only Benfica had been beaten on Chelsea's travels since Carlo Ancelotti's team prevailed in Copenhagen two seasons ago. This team will travel to Donetsk for a potentially critical fixture later this month with confidence pepped and as early leaders in Group E. They will need to be better there than they were here but the reality that Shakhtar drew at Juventus was a reminder of how tight this section could prove.

Chelsea will still be confident of progress, particularly if their attacking unit is permitted to flourish as they eventually did here. Juan Mata was their inspiration, the Spaniard having been irrepressible since he was granted a short break during last month's international window to recharge his batteries. His burst upfield just after the half-hour went unnoticed as Nordsjaelland's rearguard were panicked by Fernando Torres's dispossession of Enoch Adu, the striker shifting the ball on to Frank Lampard who in turn slid it into space to his right. Mata finished on the gallop, putting the ball beyond Jesper Hansen.

The early exchanges had threatened a cricket score with Victor Moses – on his first outing in this competition – forcing Jores Okore to nod against his own post and Torres twice close to registering personal reward. Yet, without John Terry to bark orders across their back-line, sloppiness crept into the visitors' game. This was a landmark occasion for the Danes, a home debut in the Champions League albeit in an arena some 15 miles from their distinctly cosier Farum Park. The club has existed in various guises over the years and endured scandal and financial uncertainty aplenty and this game was seized upon as reason for celebration. The crowd in attendance was more than Farum's entire population. They could be proud of their team's efforts until the closing stages.

John was a nuisance down the left, with Ashley Cole doing well to snuff out Kasper Lorentzen's attempt in front of goal as carelessness offered the locals sights of goal. Their best opportunities were chiselled out just after the hour, John skimming a shot into the side-netting, Nicolai Stokholm forcing the goalkeeper to push another attempt clear and Mikkel Beckmann twice spurning presentable opportunities.
Then came Cech's save, with the substitute Mario Ticinovic's follow-up well blocked, before Chelsea roused themselves to respond.

The goals came at a canter thereafter. Oscar had seen one harshly ruled out, the Croatian official having opted against playing an advantage, before David Luiz curled a fine free-kick in off a post with Hansen static. "We collapsed after that second goal," said the Nordsjaelland coach, Kasper Hjulmand. "We'd been playing well, creating chances, but in the end it looks stupid on the scoreboard, 4-0."
Mata's second was slid home after he emerged from the clutter on the edge of the area and Ramires' tap-in from Oscar's cross added gloss to the win.


======================

Telegraph:

FC Nordsjaelland 0 Chelsea 4
By Jeremy Wilson

There was no Danish fairytale in Copenhagen; just the familiar and rather more prosaic story of relentless Chelsea efficiency.
Against a team whose players earn less in a year than John Terry or Fernando Torres are paid in a week, Chelsea delivered a resounding victory that places them at the summit of Champions League Group E.
Three goals in the last 11 minutes did actually disguise a largely lacklustre performance but, as has so often been the case under Roberto di Matteo, the result was what really mattered.
A draw at Stamford Bridge last month against Juventus had placed considerable significance on dispatching Nordsjaelland and, despite a prolonged second-half wobble, a first away win in the Champions League group phase for two years was duly secured.

In his team selection, Di Matteo again underlined that the days of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea “untouchables” are long gone. On Saturday, it was Frank Lampard consigned to the bench and on Tuesday night it was Terry who had to be content with a place among the substitutes for the second time in four matches.
Terry’s elevated status at Chelsea — and the fact that he is three years younger than Lampard — has made his new role even more surprising.
Yes, David Luiz and Gary Cahill must soon get accustomed to playing together if Terry’s four-match ban is upheld but it still partially weakened Chelsea defensively for a match Di Matteo regarded as pivotal to their Champions League defence.
Di Matteo, though, had clearly also factored the relative weakness of last night’s opposition into his calculations. Nordsjaelland were only formed 21 years ago, they are based in a town of just 18,000 people and were making their home Champions League debut. A relatively modest support-base is evident in their 10,000-capacity ground and, having opted to play their Champions League matches at Denmark’s national stadium, it was clear that many of the locals had come to support the reigning European champions.

Chelsea should have taken the lead after only four minutes. Oscar’s quick feet and vision were soon evident as he drifted into space behind Nordsjaelland’s defence and turned to chip his cross towards the far post. It was perfectly weighted, the ball evading Jesper Hansen in Nordsjaelland’s goal but was somehow headed against the post by Victor Moses from inside the six-yard box.
Ultimately, as has so often been the case in 2012, it was actually Torres’ team play that helped deliver the crucial breakthrough. Having diligently tracked back to regain possession, Torres quickly fed Lampard who, in turn, split the defence for Juan Mata. On this occasion, the chance fell to arguably Chelsea’s coolest finisher and Mata calmly side-footed his finish past Hansen for his third goal in three games.
Nordsjaelland were carrying a sporadic goal threat but, to their credit, never compromised on their free-flowing and passing style. It led to several prolonged periods of possession and, amid some joyful chants of 'olé’ from their supporters, also the occasional clear chance. Joshua John was particularly threatening down the right and it required a wonderful first-half interception from Ashley Cole to deny Kasper Lorentzen from his cross.

The second-half soon settled into the same pattern. Chelsea were struggling to find their rhythm but still more incisive while Nordsjaelland enjoyed a surprising percentage of possession. Their finishing, though, continued to undermine some impressive football.
John again evaded Branislav Ivanovic down the right but his low shot was drilled just inches outside Petr Cech’s near-post. Jores Okore then delivered a perfectly weighted cross to Mikkel Beckmann, whose looping header was guided over Cech but on to the top of the goal-netting.
Nicolai Stokholm then maintained the brief siege on Chelsea’s goal by forcing Cech into a diving save low to his left.
Di Matteo replaced Moses with Eden Hazard but still Chelsea found themselves pinned back. John turned inside Ivanovic and forced Cech to guide his curling shot onto the outside of the post with his fingertips before Cole then produced an excellent block to deny Lorentzen on the follow-up.
After so many chances, it was inevitable that Nordsjealland’s profligacy should be punished and Luiz duly doubled the lead with a delightful free-kick. A further, somewhat unmerited gloss, was added to the scoreline in the final 10 minutes when Mata and then Ramires punished Nordsjaelland’s obvious fatigue to score past Hansen.


====================

Mail:

Nordsjaelland 0 Chelsea 4: Late gains calm defending champions' jitters

By Sami Mokbel

 The scoreboard may have read 4-0 to Chelsea but that was not the full story —and if the European champions knew little about Nordsjaelland before Tuesday night, they certainly do now.

The Danes made life hugely uncomfortable for Chelsea on a night when the visitors were expected to win comfortably. In the end they did so, thanks to a flurry of late goals from David Luiz, Juan Mata and Ramires.

But those strikes put gloss on  a less-than-emphatic Chelsea performance.

You are not supposed to enjoy easy matches in the Champions League — but this visit to Copenhagen certainly seemed to offer that possibility.

This was only Nordsjaelland’s  second outing among Europe’s elite — their first ending in a 2-0 defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk.

Nordsjaelland, who were only founded in 1991, pay their players on average £150,000 a year — enough for seven days of service from  Chelsea skipper John Terry.

And Roberto Di Matteo saw fit to leave his captain out of his starting line-up as David Luiz and Gary Cahill began in the heart of defence, while Victor Moses was handed his Champions League debut in place of Eden Hazard.

Di Matteo knew only victory at Parken Stadium would be good enough, particularly after the 2-2 home draw against Juventus on match-day one. But a record of one win in eight away Champions League clashes must have been a worrying distraction for the  Chelsea manager.

The biggest night in Nordsjaelland’s history almost got off to the worst possible start as a sloppy throw-in from left back Patrick Mtilinga on three minutes handed the returning Frank Lampard space on the edge of the box to pick out Brazilian starlet Oscar.

He exchanged passes with Moses, then conjured a shot that trickled narrowly wide of Jesper Hansen’s far post.

Nordsjaelland were breathing another sigh of relief less than 60 seconds later as Moses somehow sent a header from three yards on to a post with the goal gaping after Oscar’s superb cross.

But in fairness to Hjulmand’s side, they did not let Chelsea’s promising start effect their passing philosophy and the Danes popped the ball about attractively.

Nevertheless, Chelsea continued to press for an opener in the face of a suspect-looking back four, with Lampard firing over from outside the box after Mata’s surging run down the right in the 10th minute.

Despite three early scares, Nordsjaelland refused to throw the ball forward aimlessly. Their first chance arrived in the 15th minute, Joshua John — who had been pinpointed as one of Nordsjaelland’s dangermen — firing over from long range after some sloppy defending.

Without creating any clear-cut opportunities, there was a sense of the home side’s confidence growing with every passing minute.

And Nordsjaelland would have been celebrating their first Champions League goal in the 21st minute had it not been for Ashley Cole, who produced a goal-saving challenge on Kasper Lorentzen deep inside the Chelsea area after John’s accurate low cross.

Paris St-Germain  manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed his intention to sign Cole in January, branding him ‘the best left back  in the world’ —  and there was plenty of evidence to support the Italian’s assertion.

Torres was denied by an excellent Hansen save in the 22nd minute as the visitors tried to regain their early dominance. But while Nordsjaelland’s play was defined by neat passing, Chelsea’s was quite the opposite as they struggled to find any rhythm.

Di Matteo would have been hugely relieved, then, when a Nordjaelland mistake led to his side taking an undeserved lead in the 33rd minute.Torres robbed Enoch Adu deep inside the Danes’ half and he slipped the ball inside to Lampard, whose pass set up Mata to coolly slot past Hansen.

Torres should have doubled the lead just before half-time after Oscar’s beautiful through pass — but with just the keeper to beat the No 9 fired straight at the keeper from 12 yards.

Chelsea had created enough clear-cut chances in the first half to be out of sight, while the hosts, who enjoyed 55 per cent of the ball in the opening period, would have felt they deserved more for their dominance in terms of possession.

And the impressive John came close to an equaliser in the 53rd minute, his drive from the edge of the area arrowing just wide of Petr Cech’s near post.


Mikkel Beckman went close just before the hour, sending a looping header on to the roof of Cech’s goal after Adu’s searching cross, before Stokholm saw his long-range piledriver parried by the keeper.

Di Matteo sent on Hazard for the ineffective Moses in the 65th minute as he tried to inject some much-needed invention.

But Nordsjaelland could have pulled level in the 73rd minute when Cech tipped John’s curling effort on to a post before Cole blocked Beckman’s rebound.

Chelsea were rocking until Luiz struck a stunning free-kick inside Hansen’s near post on 79 minutes. Then Mata nudged home his second of the night after a dash into the box and Ramires tapped  in a minute from time as the floodgates finally opened.Whether Chelsea deserved their 4-0 win was another matter.


======================


Nordsjaelland 0-4 Chelsea: Mata strikes twice in Danish demolition job

David Luiz and Ramires also scored but it was far from comfortable for the Blues

by Martin Lipton

Four more goals, another win, the new-look Blues on cruise control?
Don't you believe that, not for a second, after a night that could so easily have turned into an embarrassment for Roberto Di Matteo and his men.
In the end, yes, it was a walk in the Parken Stadium, in terms of the scoreline at least.
Three goals in the final 10 minutes, including a David Luiz stunner, ensured a smile could finally replace the frown written all over Di Matteo's face.
But until that late goal blitz allowed the quality gap to be exposed, Chelsea huffed and puffed, missing a catalogue of chances and so nearly paying the price, grateful for the enduring brilliance of Petr Cech.
Yes, Chelsea should have been three or four up in the first 10 minutes, looked to be on course for a simple victory when the excellent Juan Mata displayed genuine conviction in front of goal before the interval.

Yet either side of that, Chelsea's finishing gave little ammunition to the idea that they can be the first team to retain the Champions League, as Fernando Torres had another of THOSE nights, Victor Moses fluffed his big chance, even the returning Frank Lampard lacked his normal conviction.
And on a night when Di Matteo's decision to leave out John Terry left a Chelsea side lacking his authoritative presence, the value of Cech was, once again, on full public display.
Maybe it was the weight of recent problems on their European travels - this was Chelsea's first group stage away win since victory at Spartak Moscow in October 2010 . More likely, perhaps, it was because it had seemed so easy early on.
Moses should have netted inside four minutes, somehow conspiring to nod Oscar's clever cross against the post from point-blank range, with the Brazilian playmaker himself dragging wide.
Lampard, wearing the armband, spooned over when set up by Mata - Chelsea's pressing game was in command early on - before Torres, through on goal, shot straight at home keeper Jesper Hansen.

At least the £50million man redeemed himself soon afterwards to set up the opener.
Torres, working back, caught Enoch Adu in possession and drove to the edge of the box before feeding Lampard, who might have gone for goal but picked the pass to allow Mata to slide home.
But Torres, in from Oscar's slipped ball, again shot weakly and the longer it went on the more the Danish minnows, enjoying a 25,000 crowd in their adopted home - two and a half times their normal full-house 20 miles outside the capital - started to believe.
Important interceptions by Ashley Cole and Gary Cahill before the break were not heeded and Chelsea started to creak, creak and creak again.
Joshua John walked past Ramires - who only showed in the final minutes - to fire inches wide, the unmarked Michael Beckham floated a header onto the roof of the Chelsea net and then what Di Matteo admitted was the "crucial" moment.
John found it far too easy to get past Luiz - the Brazilian had to do better - and arced towards the far corner, the home fans rising to their feet only for Cech's finger-tips to divert onto the post, Cole blocking Kaspar Lorentzen's follow-up.
Chelsea, belatedly, woke up and a three-goal blast followed to change the complexion of the evening - if not the abiding memories.

Luiz thundered a free-kick past the wall and in off the inside of the keeper's right hand post, a devastating body-blow for the home team who suddenly fell apart.
Within a minute, Mata took advantage of a rebound to dance through and slip home his fourth of the season, before Ramires had the goal at his mercy when set up on a plate by substitute Eden Hazard.
Four, but nowhere near that easy.
Chelsea must do better, a lot better, in Donetsk later this month. The Ukrainian champions will be a far tougher task.
They know it, too. But winning is a good habit to get into. And Chelsea are showing they know how to win, even when they don't play well.


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Sun:
Nordsjaelland 0 Chelsea 4

By MARK IRWIN


They are more organised than last season and although they may have lost Didier Drogba, the Blues still have match-winners.

CHELSEA regained control of their own Champions League destiny but still failed to convince the rest of Europe they will be winners again.

Late goals by Juan Mata, David Luiz and Ramires confirmed victory in Copenhagen and put the holders firmly back on course to qualify from Group E.

But boss Roberto Di Matteo knows his team flattered to deceive last night against a team they should have waltzed past.

And it was not until the final 10 minutes that Chelsea secured the points against a team of Euro rookies who did not even exist 10 years ago.

This was FC Nordsjaelland’s first home game in the Champions League. Yet their lack of history did not prevent the Danish minnows from delivering an almighty scare to Chelsea’s Euro millionaires.

Di Matteo had warned his players there could be no margin for error after they had surrendered two-goal lead to Juventus at the Bridge two weeks ago.

But for long periods last night they were clinging on to a single-goal lead and in real danger of chucking away more points.

As anticipated, Frank Lampard returned to the starting line-up after being rested for the previous three games.

What was not quite so expected was that he would be wearing the armband in the absence of skipper John Terry, who found himself on the bench despite his man of the match show in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Arsenal.

Terry expects to receive the FA’s written verdict for his four-match racism ban within the next 24 hours. But Chelsea insist the captain’s on-going battle to clear his name had no bearing on Di Matteo’s team selection last night.

Eden Hazard and John Obi Mikel were also given the night off after their recent exertions, with Victor Moses making his first European appearance since his £9million move from Wigan.

Yet the changes did not blunt Chelsea’s attacking intentions as they almost took the lead after just four minutes.

Oscar hung up a tantalising cross which Moses seemed certain to convert until Jores Okore bravely diverted the ball against his own post at the expense of a painful clash of heads.

The Brazilian playmaker had already shot tamely wide following an exchange of backheels by Moses and Fernando Torres before Lampard shot just too high as the visitors dominated.

But they almost paid for their complacency after quarter of an hour when Ashley Cole’s sloppy pass presented Joshua John with Nordsjaelland’s first opportunity.

And though the Dutchman was unable to hit the target from 16 yards, it was enough to persuade the home side Chelsea were not so invincible after all.

Cole and Gary Cahill were both forced into last-ditch tackles in their own area as Nordsjaelland visibly grew in confidence.

And even when Torres was allowed a clear run on goal by Ivan Runje’s misdirected header, keeper Jesper Hansen was able to save with his legs.

But just when things were threatening to turn awkward for the Blues, they got a much-needed breakthrough.

Torres robbed Enoch Adu and slipped the ball inside to Lampard, whose first-time pass behind the defence was simply begging to be dispatched by Mata.

The little Spanish star did not disappoint, sliding his 33rd-minute shot beyond the advancing Hansen to put his team in control.

That was Mata’s third goal in as many games since returning from his recent mini-break.

Chelsea should have doubled their lead just before the break but Torres again shot straight at the keeper after being released by Oscar’s exquisite flick.

Torres was again denied by Hansen before Moses had a 53rd-minute effort ruled out for a foul on Michael Parkhurst.

Yet while they led by just a solitary goal, Chelsea were always vulnerable to the counter-attack and the Danes almost caught them out when John sidestepped Ramires’ soft challenge before shooting wide.

Mikkel Beckmann then escaped Branislav Ivanovic’s attention to head a glorious chance over and John’s curling shot was touched against the post by Petr Cech before Cole blocked Beckmann’s follow-up.

But just as the 25,000 crowd were starting to sense the mother of all upsets, Luiz gave Chelsea some much needed breathing space with a 79th-minute free-kick which curled in off the post.

Two minutes later Mata struck again after his attempt to play in Lampard came back into his path off a defender.

And Ramires added a flattering fourth in the dying seconds, tapping in from Oscar’s low cross.

STAR MAN - JUAN MATA (Chelsea)

CHELSEA: Cech 7, Ivanovic 5, Luiz 6, Cahill 7, Cole 6, Ramires 5, Lampard 7, Moses 7 (Hazard 5), Oscar 7, Mata 8 (Mikel 5), Torres 6.

Subs not used: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Terry, Bertrand, Romeu.

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Express:

DI MATTEO MEN FINALLY PUT BITE ON TIGERS

By Tony Banks

CHELSEA got the victory they needed to get their Champions League campaign back on track - but they are going to have to play much better than this if they are going to defend the trophy they won so gloriously in May.
Juan Mata struck twice, David Luiz fired in a glorious free-kick and Ramires added a fourth to give Roberto Di Matteo's men their first victory in Group E. It was one they desperately needed after fluffing their lines in their opening game against Juventus, but although the final score suggests a story of a comfortable win in chilly Copenhagen, for long periods it was anything but against a plucky and skilful Danish side.
 After Mata had given Chelsea an early lead to settle nerves against the group minnows, it was only a couple of great saves by goalkeeper Petr Cech that kept the holders in front. And it was only in the last 12 minutes that class eventually told and it turned into a stroll.
 Chelsea scored three more times to make the game comfortable, Luiz netting a curling free-kick, Mata walking in a second and Ramires wrapping things up.

Juan Mata struck twice, David Luiz fired in a glorious free-kick and Ramires added a fourth to give Roberto Di Matteo’s men their first win in Group E
The "Wild Tigers" of Nordsjaelland, by stark contrast to Chelsea's mostly seasoned campaigners, were in their first season in the competition, but they are acquitting themselves well. Their highest paid player earns about £150,000 a year - the equivalent of a week's wages for John Terry.
It is in Europe where Chelsea, peerless in the domestic competitions, have had problems this season. Thumped by Atletico Madrid in the Super Cup final and held at home by Juventus in their opening group game, reputations had to be restored. In the end last night it was their first away win in group games in two years.

Chelsea were almost ahead inside three minutes, when Oscar's chip to the far post was met by Victor Moses, but Jores Okore got in front of him to somehow head against the post and away.
 Frank Lampard, the skipper, cracked a shot just over the bar after a rampaging run by Mata. But Chelsea were looking nervous and their hosts, to their credit tried to play football, stroking the ball around with confidence.
 It was immediately evident that it was not going to be a cakewalk.
 An excellent last-ditch tackle from Ashley Cole stopped Kasper Lorentzen, but then Fernando Torres pounced on a poor clearance, only to shoot at keeper Jesper Hansen.
 Chelsea were being given very little space on the ball by the tenacious Danes, but then they broke through. Enoch Adu fatally dallied on the ball and Torres robbed him to set up Lampard.
 He spotted Mata arriving and his low pass enabled the Spaniard to slot home, somewhat against the run of play. Chelsea at last began to move the ball about with fluency, but they still had to be alert - Patrick Mtiliga's shot testing Cech - but Torres should have made it two when put through by Oscar, again firing his shot against goalkeeper Hansen.
 Chelsea had created and missed enough chances to have made the game comfortable, but it was clear that a second goal was needed - a message emphasised as Joshua John cut inside from the left and unleashed a drive which whistled just past Cech's right-hand post.
 Mikkel Beckmann then should have punished Chelsea, but headed over the bar when presented with a golden opportunity.
 Lampard alone, with his sure touch and accuracy of pass, stood out for the champions. Di Matteo threw on Eden Hazard in a bid to pep up his side.
 But Nordsjaelland, in the end, lacked the cutting edge to take advantage of some of their clever approach play, while their shaky defence always offered Chelsea a chance.
 And had Cech not tipped John's curling shot on to the post and Cole then blocked Mario Ticinovic's shot at a crucial stage, it could have been an embarrassing evening.
 But then Torres was fouled and Luiz struck with a glorious curling 30-yard free-kick which flashed in off the post. Relief all round.
 Two minutes later Mata pounced as the ball bounced off a defender and stroked his shot home from eight yards, before Ramires tapped in from a yard after Oscar's piece of trickery in the final minute.
 It ended with a scoreline few could have imagined an hour into the game. But Di Matteo will not care about that. The job got done. That is all that counts.

 NORDSJAELLAND (4-2-3-1): Hansen; Parkhurst, Okore, Runje, Mtiliga; Stokholm, Adu; Lorentzen (Laudrup 84), Nordstrand (Ticinovic 65), John; Beckmann (Christensen 75. Booked: Runje.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole; Ramires, Lampard: Moses (Hazard 65), Oscar, Mata (Mikel 83); Torres. Goals: Mata 33, 82, Luiz 79, Ramires 89.

 Referee: M Strahonja (Croatia).

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Star:

NORDSJAELLAND 0 CHELSEA 4: BLUES USE THE OLD JUAN-TWO

By James Dobson

CHELSEA got the win they needed and after a sluggish start sounded a warning they mean business in their ­defence of the trophy.
Juan Mata struck twice, David Luiz fired in a glorious free-kick and Ramires added a fourth to give Roberto Di Matteo’s men their first win in Group E.
It was a win Chelsea desperately needed after fluffing their lines in their opening game against ­Juventus.
Against a plucky and skilful Nordsjaelland it had looked in doubt for long periods.
But in the end it turned into a stroll.
Mata grabbed his first from skipper Frank Lampard’s pass, and Chelsea scored three times in the last 11 minutes, Luiz netting a free kick, Mata walking in a second and Ramires wrapping things up.
Di Matteo sprang a surprise as he left skipper John Terry on the bench, but Lampard returned to the starting line-up after three games, and Victor Moses got a Champions League debut.
The “Wild Tigers” of Nordsjaelland are in their first season in the competition. The club, only founded in 1991, have an annual wage bill of £150,000 – about a week’s wages for Terry.
Nordsjaelland’s Farum Park 10,100 capacity stadium was too small for the expected crowd so the game was played in the national Parken Stadium with large empty spaces the result.
The Premier League side were almost ahead inside three minutes, when Oscar’s chip to the far post was met by Moses, but Jores Okore dived in to make a challenge to force him to head against, rather than into, an empty net.
Then Lampard cracked a shot just over following a rampaging run by Mata.
But Chelsea were looking nervous and edgy, and Nordsjaelland to their credit were stroking the ball around with confidence.
It was immediately evident it was not going to be easy.
An excellent last ditch tackle from Ashley Cole stopped Kasper Lorentzen, but then Fernando Torres pounced on a poor clearance, only to shoot straight at goalkeeper Jesper Hansen.
Chelsea were being given very little space on the ball by the Danes.
But Chelsea’s quality finally told. Enoch Adu fatally dallied on the ball, and Torres robbed him and then set up Lampard.
He spotted Mata arriving, and his low pass enabled the Spaniard to slot home, somewhat against the run of play.
It was a goal that was needed to steady those nerves, and Chelsea at last began to move the ball about with fluency.
They still had to be alert with Patrick Mtiliga’s shot testing Petr Cech but Torres should have made it two when put through by Oscar, again shooting against the goalkeeper.
Chelsea had created and missed enough chances to have made the game comfortable, but it was clear a second goal was needed.
That message was made clear as Joshua John cut inside from the left and unleashed a drive which whistled just past Cech’s right hand post. Chelsea, in ­contrast to their tight, disciplined performance in winning at ­Arsenal on Saturday, were finding it tought.
Mikkel Beckmann should have punished them, but headed over the bar when presented with a golden opportunity. Then Nicolai Stokholm tested Cech.
Lampard alone, with his sure touch and accuracy of pass, stood out for the champions.
Di Matteo threw on Eden Hazard in a bid to pep up his side, who had looked worryingly sluggish throughout.
Niordsjaelland lacked a cutting edge and their shaky defence always offered Chelsea a chance.
Had Cech, though, not tipped John’s curling shot onto the post and Cole then blocked Mario ­Ticinovic’s shot, it could have been embarrassing.
But then Torres was fouled and Luiz struck with a glorious curling 30 yard free kick which flashed in off the post.
Two minutes Mata pounced as the ball bounced off a defender, and stroked his shot home from eight yards.
Ramires tapped in from a yard after Oscar’s piece of trickery in the final minute.
Job done.


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