toptop
Diego
Costa continued his stunning start to his Chelsea career by plundering a
hat-trick as the Premier League leaders ended Swansea City’s perfect start to
the season with a 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge.
John Terry’s early own goal had gifted Swansea the lead before Costa’s treble
took his tally to seven goals in four games and debutant Loic Remy also weighed
in with a goal.
Swansea were the better team in the first half and edged in front on 11 minutes
when Neil Taylor’s teasing low cross was turned into his own net by Chelsea
captain Terry.
Chelsea equalised in the final minute of the half when Cesc Fabregas’ corner was
powerfully headed home by Costa, who became the first player since Mick Quinn in
1992 to score in his first four Premier League appearances.
Costa’s opportunism brought the Spain international’s hat-trick on 67 minutes as
he reacted the quickest to Ramires’ weak shot to stab the ball past Lukasz
Fabianski.
Remy replaced Costa and the substitute marked his debut with the fourth goal on
81 minutes with a low finish after the striker was teed up by Oscar.
Jonjo Shelvey pulled one back for Swansea with four minutes to go, but the
result ensures Chelsea are the only team with a 100 per cent record after four
games.
Jose Mourinho might have been tempted to keep Costa in reserve for games against
Schalke and Manchester City next week after a hamstring injury saw him withdraw
from international duty with Spain.
But it soon became apparent that the Blues would need him after Swansea started
well.
Wayne Routledge volleyed wide and then dispossessed Nemanja Matic in a challenge
he should not have won in the move which led to the opening goal.
Ki Sung-yeung, influential early on, fed left-back Taylor, whose cross Terry
could only turn in to his own net.
Bafetimbi Gomis - Swansea's one change following the 3-0 defeat of West Brom,
Wilfried Bony dropping to the bench - twice had half chances but could not find
the target.
Routledge curled one narrowly wide as Swansea threatened again before Chelsea
finally came into the game.
Jordi Amat and Shelvey were each booked for fouls on Hazard on the edge of the
Swansea box and from the second opportunity Andre Schurrle's free-kick was
tipped over by Fabianski.
A Branislav Ivanovic cross evaded Costa and was headed over by Oscar, who then
tested Fabianski with a low shot before his dangerous cross from the right was
dealt with by the Polish goalkeeper.
Costa and Amat tangled on the touchline as the striker showed his menace before
delivering another blow.
The £32million summer signing - a man Mourinho chased for a year - lurked behind
Ivanovic before meeting a Fabregas corner with a low, firm header.
Mourinho was clearly not satisfied with seeing his team reach the interval level
as World Cup winner Schurrle was replaced by Ramires.
Amat, treading a fine line against Costa, went off for Federico Fernandez for
Swansea.
Costa immediately tested Swansea's defence, his effort from a corner ballooning
over off Ivanovic.
Soon Chelsea - and Costa - had a second after a one-two between Fabregas and
Hazard on the left edge of the Swansea box.
In a combination that is becoming familiar even at this early stage in the
season, Fabregas laid on the assist, pulling the ball back for Costa to finish
clinically.
Shelvey sliced wide and Gomis was unable to lift the ball over the onrushing
Thibaut Courtois, who had a quiet second half as he celebrated his new five-year
contract.
Courtois watched from afar as Costa struck once more when Ramires scuffed his
shot into the path of the striker, who pounced to complete his hat-trick.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich smiled widely and joined in the applause as Costa
departed after 72 minutes for Remy to make his debut.
Remy, signed only after Fernando Torres' loan move to AC Milan, quickly made his
mark, tucking in Oscar's pass.
Shelvey pulled a goal back with four minutes to play after substitute Bony's
incisive pass.
Mourinho tucked the ball under his arm after it entered his technical area from
the restart and Swansea could not breach the Chelsea defence again.
Best of the Match:
Man of the match: Diego Costa. The Spaniard put on a master class in finishing
as he scored his first Premier League hat-trick.
Moment of the match: Diego Costa guiding home his third goal after getting clear
in the six-yard area, to make it seven goals in four games for Chelsea.
Save of the match: Lukasz Fabianski getting his fingertips to an Andre Schurrle
dipping free-kick.
Goal of the match: While Diego Costa scored a hat-trick of close-range goals,
Loic Remy marked his debut with a well-taken first-time effort from inside the
area to open his Chelsea account.
Talking point: Chelsea's dominant start to the league campaign, with Diego Costa
and Cesc Fabregas striking up a fearsome partnership early on.
The same two players combined to put Chelsea in front on 56 minutes as Fabregas
exchanged passes with Eden Hazard before pulling the ball back for Costa to
score from close range.
Click Here For Official Team sheet
Teams
Chelsea Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Azpilicueta,
Fabregas (Salah 81), Matic, Schurrle (Ramires 45), Oscar, Hazard, Costa (Remy
71)
Subs Not Used Cech, Luis, Zouma, Willian
Booked
Goals Costa 45, 56, 67, Remy 81
Swansea City Fabianski, Rangel, Amat (Fernandez 45), Williams
(c), Taylor, Shelvey, Ki, Dyer, Sigurdsson, Routledge (Montero 65), Gomis (Bony
75)
Subs Not Used Tremmel, Emnes, Tiendalli, Bartley
Booked Amat, Shelvey, Taylor
Goals Terry 11 (og), Shelvey 86
Attendance 41,400
Referee Kevin Friend