West Ham 1 Chelsea 1

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer

The ghost of Brian Laudrup continued to haunt Chelsea as centre-forward Pierluigi Casiraghi was carried off in agony at West Ham with an apparently serious knee injury just two days after the Dane's departure.

How Gianluca Vialli must have wished he had delayed the homesick striker's transfer to FC Copenhagen as he watched Casiraghi stretchered off just 22 minutes into the London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Trailing to defender Neil Ruddock's early free-kick for West Ham, his side completely dominated possession in the second half only to waste countless chances before Celestine Babayaro finally put them out of their misery 15 minutes from time.

The midfielder ensured that Chelsea's unbeaten run since the opening day of the season continued yet the Blues were only saved by the inside of the post in the dying minutes as Eyal Berkovic threatened to steal an undeserved late victory.

The match was due to have been Laudrup's final appearance for Chelsea but his departure to FC Copenhagen was speeded up on Friday to prevent the saga overshadowing the match, and his place was taken by Gustavo Poyet.

Chelsea were also forced to reshuffle at the back, with Bernard Lambourde partnering Marcel Desailly as Frank Leboeuf and Michael Duberry were suspended.

West Ham similarly had defensive problems, with Marc Keller appearing as an emergency wing-back due to injuries to Andy Impey, Julian Dicks, Javier Margas and Stan Lazaridis.

Partnering Ian Wright and Paul Kitson up front, with John Hartson not even on the bench, West Ham came out with big intentions and were ahead within four minutes.

Babayaro conceded a free-kick 20 yards out and Ruddock took his time in lining up a shot after a touch from Lampard before stroking the ball into the far corner of the net.

The Hammers were slicing through the Chelsea defence, with the impressive Lampard shooting over the bar and Ed De Goey stretching to push out Kitson's header.

The Blues were wasting possession in midfield, with crosses going astray, until Gianfranco Zola carved out an opening for Casiraghi, whose effort was saved by keeper Shaka Hislop low down to his left.

Just minutes later, the Italian international was injured when he stretched to reach a cross from Zola just as Rio Ferdinand volleyed the ball clear on the turn, apparently catching his opponent on the knee by accident as he did so.

There was a ridiculous delay in providing Casiraghi with the proper treatment on the pitch and in finding the right stretcher.

But he was eventually replaced by Tore Andre Flo and towards the end of the half, Chelsea laid siege to the Hammers goal, with Zola in sparkling form and Poyet also prominent.

The end product was simply not there as West Ham produced a stirling defensive performance, yet the one-way traffic simply increased in the second-half, with the Hammers unable to retain possession for more than a few seconds at at a time.

Flo and Zola both shot wide, Poyet headed just past the upright and only the efforts of Ferdinand and the impressive Ian Pearce, as well as a stunning one-handed reaction save by Hislop from Flo kept Chelsea at bay.

The Hammers rarely threatened on the breakaway and with Dan Petrescu and Mark Nicholls on for Roberto Di Matteo and Zola, Chelsea threw players forward in increasing numbers.

Wise shot agonisingly just past the post and Flo had another effort saved but their agonies in front of goal were finally ended by Babayaro as he nodded home from close range after Nicholls' header from a corner had been desperately cleared off the line.

West Ham were stung into action by Chelsea's equaliser and had a number of opportunities to score a late winner.

First Kitson miscontrolled a through-ball from Berkovic inside the penalty area and then Albert Ferrer escaped giving away a penalty despite a tug on Wright's shirt as the striker headed into De Goey's arms.

With just two minutes left, Berkovic turned inside the area to capitalise on a half-clearance from Keller's cross but the ball struck the inside of the far post and bounced agonisingly across the face of goal.

It was another chance wasted but then it was that sort of match.

Teams

West Ham: Hislop, Ruddock, Ferdinand, Pearce, Lomas, Lampard, Sinclair, Keller, Berkovic (Potts 87), Kitson, Wright.

Subs Not Used: Sealey, Omoyimni, Breacker, Abou.

Booked: Lomas.

Goals: Ruddock 4.

Chelsea: De Goey, Babayaro, Desailly, Poyet, Casiraghi (Flo 24), Wise, Le Saux, Di Matteo (Petrescu 46), Ferrer, Lambourde, Zola (Nicholls 66).

Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Terry.

Booked: Poyet.

Goals: Babayaro 76.

Att: 26,023

Ref: G Barber (Pyrford).