Chelsea |
2-3 |
West Ham |
Hasslebaink pen 20
Zola 74 |
|
Defoe 39
Di Canio 47, 83 |
Barclaycard Premiership |
Tim Hobbs reporting
Paolo di Canio bagged a second-half brace to give West Ham their first
win of the season and ease the presssure on Glenn Roeder.
The Italian struck a wonder goal just after the break and slammed
home a late winner as the Hammers edged a gripping London derby,
sending their west London rivals to a first defeat this season.
Roeder's men had fallen behind to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's first
of the season, but hit back through Jermain Defoe and Di Canio's super
strike and looked well set for a much-needed three points.
But sub Gianfranco Zola looked to have burst the Hammers bubble
again when he curled home a trademark free-kick, only for the
talismanic skipper to silence the snipers with an 83rd-minute winner.
He has been criticised for clashing with Roeder in a wretched start
to the season and remonstrated with visiting fans at the final
whistle, but few can question his commitment - and on this display at
least, his undying quality.
Both goals will place huge question marks against the positioning
of the usually impeccable Carlo Cudicini, but few making the trip back
to East London will care where the keeper was when West Ham finally
broke their duck.
And they did it the hard way as ever. Former Chelsea man Scott
Minto gifted his old pals the perfect start as he dragged Robert Huth
at a free-kick and on the lineman's insistence, Hasselbaink was handed
the chance to break his own sorry streak.
He blasted the penalty past David James with the confidence of a
man among the goals and would have been just that had his flashing
volley not flown inches past the post.
The goal was the second blow to Hammers hopes - or so it seemed.
They had already lost Freddie Kanoute with a thigh injury following
Huth's clumsy lunge but in his place came the pace and purpose of
Defoe. And with that came a goal.
Chelsea dozed at a Di Canio corner, Cudicini did well to block
Steve Lomas' snap-shot but before the defence even knew the ball was
loose, England starlet Defoe stuck out a leg, stabbed in and another
rotten personal run was over - it was his first of the season.
Boudewijn Zenden and Eidur Gudjohnsen then peppered James from long
range as West Ham wobbled briefly, but just when they needed it the
most, their captain stepped up to show the way - in some style.
The Chelsea corporate brigade were barely back in their boxes as
the Italian maverick picked up a throw on the West Ham right. One
flick over his own shoulder took him infield and away from his man,
another set the ball up perfectly and the third sent a dipping volley
screaming between Cudicini and his near post.
Hasselbaink then headed against an upright and for a while it
seemed the Hammers' luck would finally hold. But Zola joined their
irrepressible Italian showcase by stepping off the bench to curl home
a delightful free-kick from 25 yards, for his sixth of a sublime
season to date.
Few neutrals would have complained had the two goals ended a
tit-for-tat game all square, but London derbies are not for those
without allegiance and a winner duly arrived as Chelsea's defence
undid their earlier work.
Mariot Melchiot and William Gallas both failed to clear their lines
and as the ball bounced between them, Di Canio darted in, steadied
himself and slammed a firm finish between keeper and near post. It was
not the first time Cudicini had been caught, but it did rubber stamp
West Ham's win and Chelsea's first defeat.
Cruelly despite three points, the Hammers are still rock-bottom, but
for today at least, positions went right out of the window - as the
Chelsea keeper will testify.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Paolo Di Canio (West Ham)
For his goals alone. The first was as flamboyant as it was fabulous
and the second could be the springboard for West Ham's season. Love
him or loathe him, it was his day today.
Chelsea: Cudicini,
Melchiot, Gallas, Huth, Stanic, Gronkjaer, Lampard, Morris, Zenden
(Zola 63), Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used: de Goey, De Lucas, Terry, Nicolas.
Booked: Huth.
West Ham: James, Repka,
Breen, Schemmel, Minto, Sinclair, Carrick, Lomas, Cole, Di Canio (Cisse
87), Kanoute (Defoe 4).
Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Winterburn, Pearce.
Booked: Repka, Minto, Lomas, Schemmel.
Att: 38,929
Ref: M Dean (Wirral)
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