Download video: AFC Bournemouth 1 – 3 Chelsea [Premier League] Highlights 2016/17
Eden Hazard continued his fine form with another goal as Chelsea recorded a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Chelsea continued their march to the Premier League title by restoring their seven-point lead at the top of the table with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Tottenham beat Watford 4-0 earlier in the day to put pressure on the leaders, but Chelsea responded in the late kick-off by scoring twice in three first-half minutes to set up their third successive away league victory.
Adam Smith was unfortunate to deflect Diego Costa’s shot into his own net after 17 minutes and Chelsea capitalised on that slice of luck with a quickfire second strike.
N’Golo Kante sent Eden Hazard through with a superb crossfield pass and the Belgian winger raced clear to score his 14th Premier League goal of the season.
Chelsea seemed to be cruising, but shortly before half-time the in-form forward Joshua King grabbed one back with a deflected drive, and the leaders endured nervous moments before a brilliant Marcos Alonso free-kick settled the match.
Defeat leaves Eddie Howe’s men 15th in the Premier League, seven points above the relegation zone, while Antonio Conte’s men are closing in on the title in the Italian’s first season in charge.
Thibaut Courtois had to make an important save in the first minute after David Luiz inadvertently turned a Ryan Fraser cross towards his own goal and Hazard headed Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross wide in a lively opening at a sun-drenched Vitality Stadium.
Jack Wilshere’s throughball sent Fraser one on one with Luiz after 15 minutes, but the winger wasted the chance by shooting wide and Chelsea took full advantage by scoring a scrappy opening goal moments later.
A searching diagonal ball found Victor Moses and he fed Costa in the box, the striker turning and firing into Artur Boruc’s bottom-right corner via a sizeable deflection off Smith’s head.
Hazard had scored three goals in three previous appearances against Bournemouth and, when a long Kante ball sent him through on goal, he continued the streak by rounding Boruc to slot home from a tight angle.
No comments