Drogba's late winner earns three points
Typically Chelsea, one is inclined to think: for 92 minutes, it looked as if the Blues would drop points at home to open the new season - then the team scored a late winner! Thus it was yet another goal in stoppage time that won a game as Chelsea even came from behind to beat Hull City 2-1. Drogba was on target twice for the Blues, Michael Ballack started on the bench but was brought on for the second half. Eleven minutes from time, he missed with a fine dropkick from 18 yards.
The Blues almost got on the scoreboard with a mere sixty seconds gone, as Drogba's volley from eight yards missed the right-hand post by inches. But then Hull stood firm and allowed only very few chances. The hosts needed a corner to create their next opportunity, Michael Essien heading wide at the far post on 26 minutes. Two minutes later, Hull went ahead, though it was a very lucky goal. George Boateng attempted a shot that would have missed the target but hit John Obi Mikel's leg to rebound into the path of Stephen Hunt who put the ball away with ease because Petr Cech was protecting the other corner.
The Blues dominated the game and enjoyed the bulk of possession, yet they needed another set piece to equalise. On 37 minutes, Drogba took a free kick in a central position, some 25 yards in front of goal. The Ivorian striker chipped the ball over the wall and found the right-hand corner to make it 1-1 (pictured). However, a draw was not what the Stamford Bridge had hoped for in the opening game of the new season, so Ballack came on for the second half to increase the pressure.
The Blues now became more offensive and more dominant with every passing minute. But it wasn't until the final quarter of an hour that the chances just kept coming. On 76 minutes, José Bosignwa beat two men and fired home a left-footed shot that keeper Myhill did well to turn around the post. Three minutes later, Hull's defence couldn't clear the situation and Ballack delivered a fine dropkick from 18 yards that might have found the target if Turner hadn't deflected the ball with his head. Only seconds later, Ballack set up Frank Lampard who fed Deco on the right wing. The Portugese playmaker found Salomon Kalou with his cross, but Kalou's header from seven yards went high.
A minute from time, Hull came close to scoring from a rare fast break, as Folan tried a cross that suddenly swerved goalbound. Cech managed to tip the ball over the bar even though he was blinded by the sun. Then the referee announced that no less than six minutes of stoppage time would be played - of which the Blues needed only two. That's when Deco set up Drogba who scored with a chip that may have been intended as a cross. In any case, the ball sailed past Myhill and went in at the far past for a late winner.
