Chelsea continue title pressure
Ballack scored the decisive goal for the champions
Also In The News
|
Sheffield United recorded a potentially crucial 1-0 away win over relegation rivals Watford thanks to a late goal from Hornets old boy Danny Webber. |  |
Wednesday, 29, Nov 2006 10:28
Chelsea defeated Bolton 1-0 after a hard-fought game in the north-west as Michael Ballack's header proved decisive.
It was the second minute of added time at the end of the first-half when the German captain met Frank Lampard's corner and emphatically diverted the ball home from inside the six yard box.
The chance came about when Andriy Shevchenko showed a glimpse of his quality as he drove at the Bolton defence and unleashed a right foot shot that was tipped over by Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ballack's goal coming from the resulting corner.
After their weekend heroics against Arsenal the home side never really got going and looked like a tired outfit, failing to meaningfully test Carlo Cudicini and the Chelsea defence. El-Hadji Diouf's effort after 35 minutes was the closest the Trotters came.
Didier Drogba was regularly denied by an in-form Jaaskelainen who managed to punch clear a free-kick and two rasping drives from the Ivorian.
Lampard was also in the hunt for goals as he attempted a couple of trademark screamers only to be denied by the flying Finn.
Bolton were as competitive as ever and made Chelsea work hard for the ball but ultimately could not produce anything from this themselves.
Jose Mourinho continued with his diamond formation in midfield and the tactics seemed to work as they eventually overpowered their opposition and never looked likely to relinquish their lead.