toptop
Crystal
Palace condemned Chelsea to defeat in Jose Mourinho's 100th league home game as
Bakary Sako and Joel Ward earned a shock 2-1 win.
Sako, fresh from scoring the winner against Aston Villa last weekend, turned the
ball home with 25 minutes remaining of Saturday's Premier League clash after
Yannick Bolasie's cut back.
Substitute Radamel Falcao headed in Chelsea's equaliser from Pedro's superb
cross, but Palace went up the other end and scored through Ward, who headed home
Sako's cut back with nine minutes remaining.
The champions, who won their first four games last season, have now taken just
four points out of a possible 12, while Palace earned an historic first win at
Stamford Bridge since 1982.
Chelsea's defeat, only their second at home in the league under Mourinho, means
the reigning champions are already eight points behind leaders Manchester City.
The hosts were forced into the one change as Gary Cahill replaced the suspended
John Terry, and their defence stood tall as Palace threatened on the break in
the first half.
Sako forced Thibaut Courtois into a save with his feet as Palace broke, and the
visitors should have been ahead just before the half-hour mark.
Wilfried Zaha twisted and turned on the left before slipping the ball inside the
on-running Yohan Cabaye, but the Frenchman's effort from 15 yards was straight
at Courtois, who got down well to scramble clear.
For Chelsea, Pedro went close on his home debut after turning inside and curling
just wide with his left foot, before Alex McCarthy made a fine double save for
Palace.
First, the goalkeeper batted clear Diego Costa's low effort in the area, before
getting up well to clear Cesc Fabregas' rebound with the help of defender Scott
Dann.
Courtois denied Sako a second time after the break, getting down low to his
right to clear a long-range effort, but the summer signing from Wolves got his
goal on 65 minutes.
Receiving Bolasie's cross, Sako first saw his shot blocked by Cahill, before
reacting quickly to strike the ball high into the goal from 15 yards for 1-0.
Mourinho reacted by bringing on Colombian Falcao, who reacted by heading Pedro's
cross into the bottom right corner past McCarthy just minutes after Bolasie had
missed a clear chance from six yards out at the other end.
But two minutes after the equaliser Palace got their winner through Ward, who
headed in Sako's cut-back on the stretch from six yards.
Superb defending from Dann, who blocked Fabregas' effort inside the area in the
final moments of the game, saw Palace over the line, and Alan Pardew's side now
have nine points from a possible 12 in their opening four games.
SSNHQ's Andy Burton's verdict on the final whistle from Stamford Bridge
Remarkably, in Mourinho's 100th Premier League home match as Chelsea manager,
he's suffered defeat. It's only the second time he's lost at home in the Premier
League, the last time being against Sunderland in April 2014. Palace fans can't
believe it, and a small smattering of boos fill the air from the home
supporters.
This wasn't in the script, but Crystal Palace will feel they deserve it. They
were resolute and dogged in the first half, containing and frustrating their
hosts, and took their chances in the second. Pardew will be a happy man tonight.
Jose, not so much… One thing is for sure, Chelsea's movements in the transfer
window between now and Tuesday night will be worth watching.
Click Here For Official Teamsheet
Player ratings
Chelsea: Courtois (6); Ivanovic (6), Cahill (5), Zouma (5),
Azpilicueta (5); Matic (5), Fabregas (5); Pedro (6), Willian (4), Hazard (5);
Diego Costa (5)
Subs: Loftus-Cheek (5), Kenedy (5), Falcao (7)
Crystal Palace: McCarthy (7), Ward (8), Dann (8), Delaney (8),
Souare (7), McArthur (7), Cabaye (6), Zaha (7), Puncheon (7), Sako (8), Wickham
(7)
Subs: Chung-yong Lee (6), Ledley (6), Bolasie (7)
Man of the match: Bakary Sako
Teams
Chelsea Coutois, Ivanovic (c), Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta
(Kenedy 68), Matic (Loftus-Cheek 73), Fabregas, Pedro, Willian (Falcao 66),
Hazard, Costa
Subs Not Used Begovic, Baba, Remy, Mikel
Booked Cahill
Goals Falcao 79
Crystal Palace McCarthy, Ward, Dann, Delaney (c), Souare,
McArthur, Cabaye (Ledley 82), Zaha (Bolasie 55), Puncheon, Sako (Lee 84),
Wickham
Subs Not Used Hennessey, Mariappa, Mutch, Gayle
Booked Cabaye
Goals Sako 65, Ward 81
Attendance 41,581
Referee Craig Pawson