English Premier League
Result:Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal
Date: 19 September 2015
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kurt Zouma and Eden Hazard were the heroes in Chelsea’s crucial 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal ended the game with nine men after Gabriel Paulista and Santi Cazorla were shown their marching orders in the 45th and 79th minutes respectively.
Chelsea did not will long to show their intent as the hosts were on the offensive from the onset. Cesc Fabregas had the game’s first real opportunity in the 5th minute when he forced a fine save from Petr Cech.
Arsenal began to settle and started to thread a couple of passing moves in an effort to break past the steady Chelsea defence. It was Diego Costa, however, who came close in the 23rd minute before Theo Walcott posed a testing shot which Asmir Begovic did well to keep out.
Both sides seemed to have added numbers into their attacks with the half-time break looming, and but Pedro had a shot saved in the 31st minute before Aaron Ramsey and Kurt Zouma also failed to grab the opener with their efforts.
Pedro was looking lively in the final moments of the half and had another effort well saved on the stroke of half-time before Paulista was sent off after clashing with Costa, and the teams headed into the break deadlocked at 0-0.
Jose Mourinho’s men came out an inspired bunch and it was not long before 20-year-old Kurt Zouma stepped up to head home a fine effort, making it 1-0 after 52 minutes of play.
The hosts were looking good in the second stanza but The Gunners were not going to hand them the points on a silver platter, as they too managed to create some good chances. Walcott was close before Eden Hazard’s 64th minute strike went only inches wide of the target.
The Blues continued to attack and the visitors held on allowing only a few half-chances, and things were made more difficult when Cazorla got his second yellow with just over ten minutes to go.
It was only a matter of time before Hazard rocked up to grab a fine second for Chelsea right on the stroke of full-time to seal the deal and make it 2-0 for Chelsea.
