MATCH REPORT: NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 CHELSEA 0 Summary The winning run came to an end on a wet, grey day on Tyneside when after a first half in which the woodwork denied Chelsea a deserved lead, a much-improved performance by Newcastle after the break yielded goals for the first half. Yoan Gouffran, from a set-piece, and Loic Remy, in open play as Jose Mourinhos men pushed for an equaliser, did the damage, denying the Blues the chance to move to the top of the table and inflicting our second league defeat. Team News There were two changes from the side that had beaten Man City in the league outing last Sunday. David Luiz came back in for Gary Cahill who had started the last three games and Juan Mata, a scorer against Arsenal, was preferred to Andre Schurrle. Newcastle made two changes too from their last league game, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa came into central defence and Shola Ameobi replaced Hatem Ben Arfa in attack. First half The first 45 minutes of this Saturday lunchtime game suggested anything but a Newcastle win and Chelsea will be asking why the possession enjoyed in first half wasnt turned into anything tangible. We looked a side capable of making it seven wins on the spin early on with Eden Hazard threatening with runs on the left. Just before kick-off the rain had begun on Tyneside and became steadily harder in the opening minutes of the first half but that wasnt dampening the determination. On 12 minutes Chelsea won a corner, played in by Mata, and from it both Terry and then Torres hit the bar. Terrys was a direct header, Torress was deflected towards goal but didnt dip quite enough to beat the woodwork. Newcastle v Chelsea Newcastle had a couple of attacks in the first 10 minutes, Ivanovic blocking a shot by Yohan Cabaye and Terry there to clear with a header when the ball broke free, but those apart, Chelsea were well in control throughout the opening 45 minutes as the home side found it hard to retain the ball. Midway through the half, Hazard and Mata exchanged a series of passes in among black and white shirts inside the home area but when the ball came out wide to Cole, he could only find the arms of Krul with his low shot. Mata had been tripped during the move with replays showing there could have been a claim for a penalty. David Luiz appeared to have licence to advance with the ball and play passes through the inside-right channel with Ramires dropping behind his compatriot to cover, but Newcastle were keeping Chelsea at bay. As the half entered its final 10 minutes, the industry of Torres and then Oscar won two corners in quick succession. The second was headed down and on-target by Terry but Santon stooped to clear it off the line. Newcastle broke up the other end but Sissokos shot which skidded along the wet turf was pouched by Cech. On 41 minutes, the same Newcastle player was booked for a nasty-looking late challenge on Ivanovic. The half closed with Chelsea having dominated possession, yet our chances had come from set-pieces. Could we do more from open play after the restart? Second half Newcastle were forced into a switch seven minutes into the second period when their captain, Cheick Tiote, who had been given a tough first half by Oscar, was lost to injury. Vurnon Anita was his replacement. Newcastle v Chelsea There were injury concerns for Chelsea moments later when Hazard slipped and stayed down in pain. Happily, after treatment, he continued on. Terry had to be well-positioned to block and clear from Ameobi after the striker had been allowed past by David Luiz. Suddenly Newcastle were a threat and Sissoko was found in too much space on the right. His low shot was touched wide by Cech, and Remys strike seconds later was straight at our keeper. Mourinho decided it was time for changes, bringing on Etoo for Torres and Willian for Mata. Newcastle swapped strikers at the same time - Papiss Cisse on for Ameobi. Before any of the new arrivals could have an impact, Gouffran tested Cech who was up to the challenge with a save low down at the near post. However our keeper was denied the chance to celebrate moving clear today as Chelseas sixth-highest appearance maker of all time when Gouffran did find the net with 67 minutes played. Newcastle v Chelsea The goal came from a free-kick, a very well-directed one by Cabaye, and the winger had escaped in front of the markers to head in. Cech this time had no chance. With his side trailing, Mourinho made his final switch, Schurrle on for Lampard with Ramires now the single deep midfielder and the Blues with more bodies pushed up. Etoo tried to make something happen when the ball came his way on the right of the area but had a shot blocked by the arm of a prostrate Magpie. At the other end Terry, with quality defending, prevented Sissoko from doubling the Newcastle lead. David Luiz was booked for a late challenge and then Ramires was carded for dissent after a foul. On 79 minutes Newcastle rode their luck. Oscar played the ball into Willian whose powerful shot was saved by Krul. Etoo was quickest on to it but Debuchy had the fortune to be in the right place to block. When the ball came to Hazard 15 yards out with 86 minutes played but he drove it wide of the post with his left foot, the feeling was growing that Chelseas chance had gone. That was confirmed two minutes later when Newcastle took advantage of the visitors pushing forward. The ball came into our area from the left and Remy fired it past unguarded Cech via the inside of the post to make it 2-0.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 09:00:30 +0000