MATCH REPORT: THAI PREMIER LEAGUE ALL STARS 0 CHELSEA 4
23:19 Chelsea, News 0 nhận xét
SUMMARYChelsea produced a strong performance in Bangkok to sweep aside a Thai Premier League representative side at the Rajamangala National Stadium.
In an entertaining encounter there were plenty of chances at both ends, particularly in a second half that produced three Chelsea goals and a hat-trick of world-class saves by substitute goalkeeper Hilario.
Frank Lampard had opened the scoring late in the first half with a typical low drive from outside the box, before two in two minutes at the start of the second moved the result of the Coca-Cola Super Cup beyond doubt - those courtesy of a Jose Bosingwa cross and a Branislav Ivanovic breakaway, before Florent Malouda completed the scoring late on, having been one of 11 second-half substitutes.
BEST MOMENTHilario's saves deserve a mention but Ivanovic takes the prize having won possession deep in his own half and proceeded upfield, eventually exchanging passes in opposition territory with Josh McEachran before stroking home into the bottom corner.
TEAM NEWSAndre Villas-Boas had intimated in the build-up that he would be giving some players longer than the 45 minutes he had restricted his sides to in the three previous pre-season games.
He was able to call on Petr Cech for the first time as the goalkeeper was declared fit for action following a minor injury, and there was a more senior feel to the Chelsea side than in previous outings, featuring an experienced backline marshalled by John Terry, Frank Lampard in midfield with Josh McEachranahead of John Mikel Obi, and Fernando Torres flanked by Nicolas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge in attack.
After an hour it was pretty much all change, with the manager making eight changes after replacing Cech with Hilario at the break.
FIRST HALFAside from a couple of early Chelsea corners there was little to report in the opening stages, Jose Bosingwa attempting the game's first shot in the 10th minute, a long range left-footed drive the Thai goalkeeper was able to pad down with ease.
At the other end Cech and Terry got themselves into bother when they overplayed some simple passes, but the goalkeeper could easily claim Therdsak Chaiman's cross on his goal line.
Sturridge, playing down the left, then got on the end of a clearance and bore down on goal but dragged the game's first real chance wide, a frustrating moment for a player who has been so eager to impress during training.
Branislav Ivanovic also gave the ball away cheaply and was forced into conceding a corner, before a Thai player was allowed a free header inside the Chelsea box. Fortunately the chance was not taken but Villas-Boas must have wondered what had happened to the concentration of a unit yet to concede in pre-season.
Torres and Anelka were showing signs of an understanding, earning a couple of corners with their interplay without troubling the Thai goal.
Terry did get the ball in the net after 25 minutes but it was chalked off as Anelka had been offside when receiving to cross.
On the break, the hosts were dangerous, frequently having runners from deep to burst through the Chelsea offside trap, though poor crossing limited the effectiveness of their hard work. Cech had to beat away a low drive from Frank Opoku Acheampong and Pipob Onmo headed over after a rare cross from the right had reached its target.
Back on the attack Patrick van Aanholt volleyed over when well placed and Torres scuffed an opening into a defender before Lampard netted the game's first goal after 37 minutes.
It was typical of the midfielder, receiving the ball in space just outside the area, opening up his body and firing low and hard into the bottom corner. It was the first goal scored by a Chelsea man since Slobodan Rajkovic had scored against Wycombe more than two games previously - wins against Portsmouth and Malaysia had come after own goals.
SECOND HALFJust one half-time change saw Hilario replace Cech, but within four minutes the lead was doubled, more by luck than judgment.
Bosingwa, who had been looking to get forward regularly, found himself in a good crossing position on the right flank, but sent the ball over seemingly too close to the goalkeeper. Nobody had expected the flap that followed though, the result being a goal in off the post.
Two minutes later it was three as Chelsea beat the Thais at their own game, Ivanovic breaking from deep, exchanging passes with McEachran, who seems always capable of pulling off the unexpected, and slotting calmly past the goalkeeper.
As a contest the game was surely now over within just a couple of minutes, but the All Stars came back at Chelsea and should have pulled one back after a raft of substitutions, their forward skewing his half-volley wide after the ball had dropped loose inside the box.
Hilario produced the save of the game on the hour, transferring himself from left to right and reaching down low to prevent Wuttchai Tatong snatching a consolation, and within half a minute he was in action again to palm away Leandro Dos Santos's low drive.
A minute later Chelsea made eight changes, switching the entire outfield, but the goalkeeper remained in place and produced another wonder save to keep out a bouncing free-kick that had fizzed goalwards off a greasy playing surface. The veteran's form in the past few friendlies has been superb.
Chelsea's left-footed trio of Ashley Cole, Yury Zhirkov and Florent Malouda linked up well and the Russian should have buried the opportunity that came his way as a result, instead shooting tamely to let the keeper get down and save.
Less than 10 minutes later Malouda would show him how to do it, his run going unnoticed by a static defence and Cole sliding the ball through into the box for the winger to slam home.
Three more changes allowed three youngsters in on the action, Jamal Blackman making a debut in goal, and Nathaniel Chalobah and Billy Clifford both adding to their first-team experience.
It was by this point all Chelsea and Didier Drogba, wearing the captain's armband, could have claimed a fifth but headed over. It would have been fitting for the man who paid his respects to Thailand's king on Friday to have found the scoresheet but it was not to be.
On the bright side however the team continued its run of clean sheets while returning emphatically to goalscoring ways. Some slick second-half football will have given the manager plenty to be pleased about, while a number of the first team have gained a significant hour of football. The rest may well expect to do the same when we fly to Hong Kong.
Thai Premier League All Stars: Tanganurat, Prakopkong, A Dos Santos (Jitsawad 89), Onmo (L Dos Santos 53), Kumbe (Tatong 43), Acheampong (Kushida 53), Chaiman (Sriha 53), Khonchan (Wangsawat 53), Siaka, Florent (Chutong 89), Iamwiroj.
Goals
Booked Florent 88
Goals
Booked Florent 88
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech (Hilario h-t (Blackman 76)); Bosingwa (Ferreira 61), Ivanovic (Chalobah 76), Terry (c) (Rajkovic 61), Van Aanholt (Cole 61); McEachran (Zhirkov 61), Mikel (Clifford 76), Lampard (Benayoun 61); Anelka (Kalou 61), Torres (Drogba 61), Sturridge (Malouda 61).
Unused subs Blackman, Chalobah, B Clifford.
Chelseafc.com
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