Chelsea held to tie on Opening Day
Chelsea began its English Premier League title defense with a red card for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and a 2-2 draw at home to Swansea on a frustrating opening to the season Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho’s side twice had the lead, but paid the price for Courtois’ rash challenge on Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis. Referee Michael Oliver had no hesitation in producing a red card and pointing to the penalty spot. Gomis beat substitute keeper Asmir Begovic to make it 2-2.
Elsewhere, Manchester United needed an own goal to beat Tottenham 1-0, Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester beat Sunderland 4-2, and Crystal Palace earned a controversial 3-1 win at Norwich.
There was no fairy-tale start to Bournemouth’s first-ever season in the top league as the freshly promoted team slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at its 11,700-capacity seaside stadium. Watford, promoted along with Bournemouth, was twice in front against Everton before having to settle for a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.
The biggest game of the day was saved for last, though, as Chelsea came out for what was expected to be a routine victory in west London.
In a hectic stretch midway through the first half, Oscar put the hosts ahead in the 23rd minute, Andre Ayew leveled in the 29th, and Chelsea’s lead was restored with an own goal by Swansea defender Federico Fernandez.
However, everything changed in the 55th minute when Courtois felled Gomis as the striker burst into the area on the break.
“We played very well in the first half. The game was under control and the players were playing with more and more confidence,” Mourinho said. “To play 35 minutes with one player less in the first match of the season where the condition and the sharpness is not at the top is even more difficult.” Good sports: Sportsmanship was the winner when English third-tier team Doncaster stood by and allowed its opponent to walk in a late equalizer after the home side scored by mistake.
Following an injury to a player, Doncaster midfielder Harry Forrester tried to follow soccer’s unwritten sporting code by returning the ball to Bury goalkeeper Christian Walton, who had knocked the ball out of play. But Forrester’s pass bounced over Walton’s head and into the Bury net in stoppage time.
Rovers manager Paul Dickov then instructed his players to clear a path for Bury to score, and they allowed Leon Clarke to amble half the length of the pitch unchallenged before tapping home to make it 1-1 just before the final whistle.
“I didn’t really think twice about allowing them to equalize,” Dickov said. “It just wouldn’t have been right for us to take three points in the circumstances. ... You can’t win a game like that.”