Football Update: Barclays Premier League- Chelsea 1 - Bolton Wanderers 0
Chelsea finally grab their win in the Barclay’s Premier League with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bolton Wenderers of Florent Malouda's 61st minute goal at Stamford Bridge.
The defending champions are back in the Barclay’s Premier League title race after their worst run since 1998. They were dropped down to just 18 points in their last eight games. The hosts were left frustrated after a dominant, yet fruitless, first half.
But the French star, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Florent-Malouda-c13838 scored just after the 15 minute game to second half from Didier Drogba's cut back to separate the sides with a slick goal and a jubilant celebration to the match giving their manager Carlo Ancelotti’s side, their first
victory in seven league games.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Johan-Elmander-c18782 wreaked havoc with his individual presence inside the hosts' box.
The Swede showed impressive 22nd minute run to the right side, before Matt Taylor dragged a tame shot wide of the far post, after latching on to a deep delivery from the forward.
Four minutes later, Ivanovic was booked for a foul on Elmander with the striker haring through an on goal. Only the appearance of Terry, desperately back-tracking his team-mate, spared him a red card.
There was an easy opening for the hosts when they could have scored four minutes after the game restart. Lampard disorganized the Bolton defence with an incisive through ball, but Drogba's low shot, rebounded off the far post with Jussi Jaaskelainen had
already been comprehensively beaten.
Chelsea marked their first presence just after the hour mark as Drogba beat the offside trap with a defence-splitting run down the right. He squared the ball to Malouda running to the right position, who then slid the ball home before wheeling away in a
deranged celebration.
Owen Coyle was among the Bolton camp to show his depression claiming and shouting on marginal offside position of Drogba and Malouda, still referee Mike Jones awarded what proved to be the decisive goal.
Bolton had an opportunity again just three minutes latter that could have levelled the game as Elmander had his run in the right position and cut the ball back for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sam-Ricketts-c32291. But the defender was an in an unfortunate position to take the pass, as he blasted
the ball over the bar from inside the Chelsea box.
Essien then got a chance to double Chelsea’s lead just nine minutes from time but http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fabrice-Muamba-c13216 was active enough to clear off the line with a desperate lunge, with Petr Cech’s dive was nowhere near the header.
The hosts held on for their slender victory to claim a crucial three points, and got their title run back on track, leapfrogging Tottenham back into fourth spot on the table.
"We came to be positive in the game, believing that we could win the match. I think we controlled the game for periods in the match, whilst accepting that Chelsea have world-class players. Regardless of people's perception of their form, you know at
times they're always going to have spells in games. We looked as if we'd weathered any threat they had."
- Owen Coyle
"I think it was the most important thing to change the atmosphere, to change the trend, to come back to win. Bolton played well, they used a lot of power up front, they were dangerous. Now we have to wait for the next game. This is an important step.
I'm not sure that everything now will be okay. We have to put on a performance again."
- Carlo Ancelotti
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