Game turns on Ballack's goal
Three days after coming from behind to beat Hull City, the Blues turned another match around, winning 3-1 away at Sunderland despite falling behind. It was Michael Ballack's goal seven minutes into the second half that started the comeback before Frank Lampard and Deco scored to bag three points. "The team played very well for the whole match, also in the first half," coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "We were one goal down, but we didn't lose concentration and we didn't lose the quality of our play."
Nothing much was happening at either end in the first fifteen minutes, then Chelsea - just as they had done on Saturday against Hull City - fell behind suddenly and unexpectedly: Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones struck on the turn from the edge of the box but his shot was blocked. However, the ball rebounded from John Terry's leg into the penalty area and into the path of Darren Bent. Bent's offside position was immaterial since a Chelsea player had deflected the ball and so he took a few steps and beat Petr Cech from close range to make it 1-0. Despite playing a good game and being in command, the Blues now found it hard to create opportunities. Ballack's shot from 16 yards on 25 minutes cleared the bar, then the Germany captain had two chances following a corner, but Lee Cattermole blocked the first shot, Phillip Bardsley the second attempt (38').
But this chance proved that Sunderland were having problems with Chelsea's set pieces, which was the story of the second half. On 50 minutes, Ballack flicked on a corner for Didier Drogba who missed the target with a header. Two minutes later, the Blues won another corner and this time it was Branislav Ivanovic who got to the ball at the near post and flicked it on. The recipient was Ballack, unmarked in a central position. He volleyed home with his left foot from eight yards to make 1-1 (52'). Now the visitors stepped up another gear and quickly reaped the rewards. On the hour, Drogba ran into the box, went past a defender and was then brought down by George McCartney as he tried to turn him as well. Frank Lampard converted the ensuing penalty to bring Chelsea ahead (61').
This goal (it was Lampard's 132nd for the Blues which means there's only four players ahead of him now on the club's all-time goalscorers list) decided the match, because Sunderland didn't have the means to trouble an excellent Chelsea team. On 70 minutes, Deco made it 3-1 with a very fine shot from the edge of the penalty area. "Sometimes you just have to admit that you have been beaten by a very, very good team," Sunderland coach Steve Bruce said. "There's no disgrace in that."
