EDEN HAZARD
half -cleared corner came back off Begovic for Morata to slot home, but Cesar Azpilicueta had been just offside – and clearly impeded the — keeper’s chance of making a clean save.
Begovic, of course, spent two largely frustrating years at Chelsea as the reserve keeper before his move to the South Coast this summer.
He played only two games in their title-winning campaign last year and was clearly keen to show Conte what he might have done, making a fantastic one-handed save to keep out Morata after Hazard had played yet another defence-splitting pass.
Bournemouth had spent the half battling to stay in the game, with their attacking momentum so poor Defoe only touched the ball eight times by halftime – not once in Chelsea’s box.
Boss Eddie Howe reacted by taking off the veteran striker, bringing on Jordon Ibe and pushing Afobe into a more forward role. Within five minutes his side fell behind.
Fabregas thought quickly after picking up a loose ball, to find Tiemoue Bakayoko.
He fought off two defenders before picking out Hazard’s run, and as Cherries’ skipper Simon Francis stumbled the Belgian smashed it inside Begovic’s near post.
Conte was determined his side wouldn’t let it slip, and he jumped up furiously shouting at Davide Zappacosta in Italian when he failed to pressure a rival.
At times the Chelsea boss’s voice was the loudest you could hear with the home fans quiet.
Howe could only curse his luck as first Junior Stanislas then Benik Afobe limped out with injuries. And when Steve Cook’s shot in added time went straight at Courtois.