West Ham’s Javier Hernandez snatches draw against slack Chelsea
Chelsea 1-1 West Ham United: On a day when Chelsea fans paid an emotional tribute to club legend Ray Wilkins, who died last week aged just 61, there was no victory to relieve the heartache
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea’s faint hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season look all but over after they allowed West Ham to come from behind to draw 1-1 at Stamford Bridge. On a day when Chelsea fans paid an emotional tribute to club legend Ray Wilkins, who died last week aged just 61, there was no victory to relieve the heartache.
Antonio Conte’s side did go ahead in the first half through Cesar Azpilicueta but took their foot off the pedal after the break when substitute Javier Hernandez rescued a point for West Ham, edging the east London side closer to Premier League safety.
The result, greeted by boos by the home fans, leaves Chelsea still in fifth place, 10 points behind Tottenham (and with an vastly inferior goal difference) with only six games to play, while the Hammers are 14th, six points above the relegation zone.
This was a game which only really came alive in the final 20 minutes and which, until then, had been played at half pace in a muted atmosphere. But the result could be significant for both managers – with Antonio Conte under increasing pressure and David Moyes close to saving his team from relegation.
The highlight in the early stages, perhaps, was a heartfelt tribute to Wilkins before kick-off, which included an extended minute’s applause, a giant banner in the Matthew Harding Stand and a floral tribute placed on the seat in the Chelsea dug-out where he used to sit.
There was a sombre atmosphere in the build-up behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge, too. After all, Wilkins, an original ‘one of our own’ for the Blues, had a long and successful connection with them as a player, coach and assistant manager – and had made an impact, in one way or another, on just about everyone at the club.
The message to Chelsea’s current generation of players was that supporters wanted a victory to honour his memory. But they couldn’t do it, despite a promising start. The home went close through Eden Hazard after only four minutes and had the ball in the net after 24, only to see Alvaro Morata’s effort correctly ruled out for offside.
Morata went close again when his improvised close-range back-heel from a Hazard cross only narrowly missed the target, while Willian was the next to take advantage of a clever Hazard pass after 35 minutes, only to see his effort saved by Joe Hart.
The goal eventually arrived a minute later. And rather than a piece of brilliance it turned out to be a scrappy one. A ball back into the box from a short corner wasn’t dealt with by the Hammers defence, it bobbled around the six-yard box and Azpilicueta miss-kicked it into the net.
It was no more than Chelsea deserved in a first half which they dominated – but for some reason they failed to show the same drive and energy after the break and allowed their rivals back into the game.
West Ham, who had been so poor in the opening 45, suddenly realised they were still in the game having survived a Willian miss and another offside goal from Morata; and the turning point came when manager David Moyes brought on former Manchester United striker Hernandez after 70 minutes.
As Chelsea slept he swept home an equaliser with virtually his first touch, found completely unmarked by Marko Arnautovic.
After that Marcos Alonso could have won it for the home side, when his shot on the turn from distance was superbly tipped over by Hart.
But the Hammers also had a strong penalty shout when Arnautovic was stopped in his tracks by N’Golo Kante when though on goal and deserved their point in the end. Referee Kevin Friend decided Kante had got the ball, which the Frenchman just about did, and what had looked like being a frustrating evening for the Hammers suddenly become an important one.
Chelsea: Courtois; Rudiger, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Alonso, Fabregas, Kante, Moses (Pedro 78); Hazard, Morata (Giroud 78), Willian. Subs not used: Cabellero, Drinkwater, Bakayoko, Christensen, Emerson.
West Ham: Hart; Cresswell (Evra 63), Ogbonna, Rice; Masuaku, Noble, Kouyate, Zabaleta; Mario (Cullen 85), Arnautovic, Fernandes (Chicharito 70; 6). Subs not used: Adrian, Hugill, Pask, Diangana.
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