Home > Sport > Chelsea slip up after dramatic draw with Aston Villa

  • Print
  • Email
FOOTBALL

Chelsea slip up after dramatic draw with Aston Villa

London (dpa) - Chelsea suffered a blow to their hopes of regaining the English Premier League title as they were held to a 4-4 draw by Aston Villa in a pulsating encounter which saw three men sent off.



Michael Ballack looked to have won it for Chelsea when he put them ahead four minutes from time but Ashley Cole was sent off in injury time for handling the ball on the line and Gareth Barry converted the penalty to clinch a point.

 The result leaves Chelsea four points behind Manchester United in third, with Arsenal one point clear at the top.

 When Shaun Maloney scored twice to put Villa 2-0 up after 43 minuts, an upset looked more than likely, but Zat Knight was sent off for a professional foul on Ballack on the stroke of half-time and Andriy Shevchenko scored from the penalty spot.

 Shevchenko smashed in the equaliser from 20 yards soon after the restart and Alex put them ahead just after the hour mark only for Martin Laursen to make it 3-3 with 20 minutes to go.

 The Germany captain Ballack - who came on early as a substitute for injured Frank Lampard - then scored from a free-kick and Chelsea seemed to have clinched it, only for Barry to deny them from the spot.

 In other early action on Wednesday, Tottenham Hotspur hammered Fulham 5-1, with Roy Keane and Tom Huddlestone both scoring twice. West Ham United and Reading drew 1-1 at Upton Park.


Advertisement

Sport Photo Gallery

  • Arsenals Dutch Striker Robin Van Persie scores the equaliser during their Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, London, on November 30, 2008.
  • Sao Paulos Dagoberdo, left, fights for a ball with Fluminenses Junior Cesar during a Brazilian soccer league match in Sao Paulo, Sunday, Nov. 30 2008. The game ended in a tie 1-1.
  • Spains Fernando Verdasco celebrates at the end of the Davis Cup finals third singles match against Argentina in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008.
  • Members of the Spains Davis Cup team pose with the Davis Cup trophy after defeating Argentina during the final in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008.
  • Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during a friendly soccer match against Brazil, in Brasilia, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008.
  • Tennis star Switzerlands Roger Federer waves to audience during the Showdown of Champions exhibition tennis matches in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.



  • Search Search

    Privacy Policy (c) 2007 www.nationmultimedia.com Thailand
    1854 Bangna-Trat Road, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand.
    Tel 66-2-338-3000(Call Center), 66-2-338-3333, Fax 66-2-338-3334
    Contact us: Nation Internet
    File attachment not accepted!