Pedro scored a debut goal as champions Chelsea got their stuttering Premier League campaign off the ground with an entertaining 3-2 victory against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP
A £21.2 million signing from Barcelona earlier this week, reportedly snatched from beneath Manchester United’s noses, Pedro scored and set up Diego Costa as Jose Mourinho’s side went 2-0 up.
Having earlier missed a penalty, James Morrison scored twice in response for West Brom, but despite Terry’s red card for a last-man foul, Cesar Azpilicueta’s first league goal proved enough to give Chelsea a first victory of the Premier League season.
It was Chelsea’s first win at West Brom in five attempts and saw the defending champions belatedly find their gear after a 2-2 draw with Swansea City and last weekend’s chastening 3-0 loss at Manchester City.
On a dark, squally afternoon in the West Midlands, Morrison squandered an early chance to put the hosts ahead when his penalty was blocked by Thibaut Courtois — back in the Chelsea goal following suspension — after Nemanja Matic had tripped Callum McManaman.
Fifteen minutes later, Pedro announced his arrival in English football by darting infield from the right, exchanging passes with Eden Hazard and finding the bottom-right corner with the aid of a deflection.
Chelsea’s fans launched into a chorus of “Are you watching Manchester?” and United’s supporters will have found themselves looking away again 10 minutes later when Pedro’s cross-shot was turned in by Costa.
Morrison reduced the arrears by bludgeoning home when Salomon Rondon hooked James McClean’s cross back into the box, only for Azpilicueta to restore the visitors’ two-goal cushion in the 42nd minute by rolling in a shot after Costa had chested down Cesc Fabregas’s pass.
Terry saw red nine minutes into the second-half for impeding Rondon as he bore down on goal before Morrison reduced the arrears with a glancing header, but Chelsea held out, Courtois thwarting Rondon in added time.
Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful of signing a new striker in the next few days to help ease the burden on Harry Kane, who was completely isolated in the first-half of Tottenham’s 1-1 draw at Leicester. “We need to have the balance in the squad, we have some targets and maybe in the next few days we can help the team a little bit more,” said Pochettino.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2015.
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