Kalou adds to Newcastle's woes

2007-12-29 20:04

London - Salomon Kalou's goal three minutes from time saw Chelsea beat Newcastle United 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they moved to within four points of Premiership leaders Manchester United.

Defeat left visiting manager Sam Allardyce under continued pressure with Newcastle having won just two of their last 11 matches.

However, Kalou's 87th minute winner was shrouded in controversy with Newcastle claiming it should have been ruled out for a blatant offside involving the Ivory Coast forward.

United's Nicky Butt had found the net from close range after half-time to cancel out Michael Essien's first half opener for Chelsea.

But Kalou's strike extend the west London side's unbeaten home run in the league to an astonishing 73 matches.

Chelsea were forced to make changes as manager Avram Grant dealt with suspensions to defenders Ashley Cole and Ricardo Carvalho, as well as fresh injuries to Andriy Shevchenko and goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Hilario was in goal for Chelsea, while John Mikel Obi, Michael Ballack, Wayne Bridge, Tal Ben-Haim, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Juliano Belletti were also brought in to the starting line-up.

Michael Owen began on the bench for Newcastle after six weeks out while Butt, Claudio Cacapa and Obafemi Martins all started.

Chelsea's preceding 4-4 draw with Aston Villa gave fans' hope of another intriguing spectacle, but the first half couldn't live up to such billing.

Hilario made the first save of the afternoon after just five minutes.

Martins found himself through on goal after defender Alex misjudged a high ball into the area, only for Portuguese keeper Hilario to save at his feet.

Germany international Ballack, Chelsea's captain in the absence of injured England duo John Terry and Frank Lampard, and he wasted a good opportunity in the tenth minute as he fired high over the crossbar.

Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given was kept busy as Chelsea attempted to make the breakthrough. The Republic of Ireland international stopped a Kalou effort in the 19th minute, and within two minutes made a fantastic dive to tip a deflected Mikel effort over the bar.

There was little he could do about the first goal, however. Given was lying helpless on the floor after Shaun Wright-Phillips's shot deflected off Kalou and into the path of Essien, who tapped into an unguarded net.

Chelsea could have doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time, but Wright-Phillips headed wide at the far post from a Joe Cole cross.

Within 60 seconds of the second half restart, Given made another great stop, after Butt's attempt to clear a Wright-Phillips cross almost resulted in an own-goal.

Newcastle levelled against the run of play in the 55th minute. Mikel was weak in the tackle with Charles N'Zogbia, and the Newcastle full-back drilled a ball across the area, which Butt bundled over the line under pressure from Wayne Bridge.

The strike gave Newcastle renewed confidence but they could not find the second goal, despite bringing Owen on for the final 16 minutes.

And, with time running out, Chelsea found the crucial goal. Mikel's shot hit Claudio Pizarro in the area and the ball found its way to the seemingly offside Kalou, who poked home beyond Given.

- AFP