Ziyech is last-gasp hero for Chelsea
THE world champions were in Croydon yesterday but you’d have hardly noticed.
Chelsea won, but this was far from a glorious or convincing homecoming, Thomas Tuchel’s side relying on an 89th-minute goal from Hakim Ziyech to maintain their slender hopes of winning the title.
Fresh from their Club World Cup triumph in Abu Dhabi last weekend, the Blues were laboured at best at Selhurst Park.
But a win’s a win. When you get to this period in the season that’s all that matters.
Indeed, it speaks volumes for Chelsea’s mental strength that they managed to get over the line against a resolute Palace, who deserved more than late heartache.
‘Every team in a season like this will have games like this especially between January and February where conditions put huge adversity,’ said Tuchel. ‘If you have a late win you have the chance to move on, forget it and take the positive energy out of it.’
Both sides will say they could have had the lead at the break but, in reality, neither did enough to merit it.
Palace’s brilliant Michael Olise wasted the first opportunity of the game, firing just wide after receiving Wilfried Zaha’s pass.
For Chelsea, Christian Pulisic should have done better from Ziyech’s cross in the ninth minute before home goalkeeper Vicente Guaita was at full stretch to deny Antonio Rudiger’s near 40-yard effort.
Ngolo Kante squandered the Blues’ best chance of the first half, firing straight at Guaita after Malang Sarr’s pass split Palace’s defence wide open in the 21st minute.
Palace boss Patrick Vieira was forced into a half-time substitution when the injured Guaita was replaced by Jack Butland.
Chelsea thought they had taken the lead in 75 minutes — Ziyech tapping home after Romelu Lukaku’s powerful effort was parried by Butland. But the goal was disallowed following a VAR review; Lukaku had been offside in the build-up.
But on 89 minutes Ziyech side-footed home Marcos Alonso’s back-post cross.
Tyrick Mitchell won’t want to see the Blues’ winner again because the Palace defender was caught horribly under the ball to leave Ziyech with a simple task as Chelsea snatched victory at the death.
‘We stayed in the game and to conceed at the end is frustrating,’ said Vieira.