Pedro Rodriguez scored on his debut as Chelsea
survived captain John Terry’s dismissal to beat West
Bromwich Albion 3-2 on Sunday and claim their first
win of the season.
Home side West Brom, who left out star striker Saido
Berahino following a failed bid from Tottenham Hotspur,
scored twice through James Morrison, who also had a
penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois.
But Jose Mourinho’s visitors held on for victory after
Pedro had opened the scoring and had a hand in
Chelsea‘s second, scored by Diego Costa to make it 2-0.
Cesar Azpilicueta scored a rare goal to give Chelsea a
3-1 half-time lead after Morrison had reduced the
arrears.
And Terry, who was substituted at half-time against
Manchester City last weekend, lasted just 54 minutes
before he was dismissed for a professional foul on
Salomon Rondon.
Morrison then headed in his second goal to set up a tense
finish, but Chelsea held on.
Costa fired the game’s first real chance wide for Chelsea
in the opening minutes.
But the home side made an energetic start and were
rewarded with a penalty in the 13th minute when
Nemanja Matic was adjudged to have tripped Callum
McManaman, although the visitors were upset with
referee Mark Clattenburg’s decision.
Courtois came to his side’s rescue, however, as he saved
with his trailing leg as he dived to stop Morrison’s
drilled, low effort from the spot.
Albion should have led on 18 minutes, too, when Craig
Dawson rose highest to meet a Morrison free-kick, but
sent his header over the bar.
And they were punished on 20 minutes when Pedro began
to repay his transfer fee, believed to be in the region of
£21.2 million ($33.2 million, 30 million euros).
The Spain international, formerly of Barcelona,
exchanged passes on the edge of the penalty area with
Eden Hazard and netted the opening goal with the aid of
a deflection off Gareth McAuley.
It was 2-0 10 minutes later when Pedro turned provider
as his side broke from a West Brom corner.
He collected a pass from Willian and tried a cross-shot,
which was turned in from close range by Costa.
– Terry gets marching orders –
Albion were back in the game within five minutes when
Morrison made up for his earlier miss with a fine, low
finish.
He scored from 15 yards after record signing Salomon
Rondon, making his full debut, did well to help a cross by
James McClean into Morrison’s path.
Willian should have made it 3-1 on 39 minutes, but he
was guilty of a glaring miss as he fired wide from a
pull-back by Pedro.
However, Chelsea‘s third goal arrived three minutes
before half-time from the unlikely figure of full-back
Azpilicueta.
He finished well after Costa had held off a robust
challenge from McAuley to control a pass from Cesc
Fabregas and tee up his Spain team-mate.
Terry was given his marching orders nine minutes into
the second half when he was judged to have pulled
Rondon back as the Venezuelan raced onto a fine
through-ball by Morrison.
Five minutes later the hosts reduced the arrears again
with Morrison claiming his second goal of the game.
He produced a deft header to divert a cross by Callum
McManaman past Courtois and into the top-right
corner.
Rondon dragged a shot just wide for West Brom from
the edge of the area after a corner and McManaman
looked capable of levelling when his clever footwork
engineered a shooting chance, but he bent his effort just
wide.
Costa sent a shot over the crossbar with his final touch
before being substituted following a clever Chelsea move.
And his replacement, Radamel Falcao, missed the target
by a long way with his first touch after being set up by
Pedro.
Late on Chelsea hit West Brom on the counter-attack
and Hazard fired just wide and then Brunt blasted just
over for the hosts.
In stoppage time, Rondon had a scrambled effort blocked
by Courtois.
-Vanguard
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