African Star Shines As Chelsea Reclaim Top Spot
17 October, 2021
Chelsea reclaimed top spot in the Premier League after defeating high-flying Brentford on Saturday, with Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy playing a starring role.
English Premier League
Result: Brentford 0-1 Chelsea
Date: 16 October 2021
Venue: Brentford Community Stadium
The Blues made three changes, as Malang Sarr got his debut at the back, with Thiago Silva missing after playing on Thursday for Brazil, alongside recalls for N'Golo Kante and Andreas Christensen.
The sides were going at each other in the opening exchanges and Brentford came close to breaking the deadlock in the 22nd minute after Bryan Mbeumo latched onto a knock-down by Christain Norgaard but his strike came off the post.
The game was opening up after that, with Chelsea creating the better chances and Timo Werner should have given the visitors the lead eight minutes before the half-time break after he was setup by Romelu Lukaku unmarked and having time on the edge of the box but he looped his strike over the bar.
Ben Chilwell eventually broke the deadlock for Thomas Tuchel's charges on the stroke of half-time with a stunning strike from a rebound on the edge of the box that found the top corner.
Thomas Frank's troops were playing deep in their own half early in the second stanza, with the Blues unable to break them down and Tuchel made a tactical change in the 65th minute as Mason Mount replaced Mateo Kovacic.
However, Brentford were getting desperate for the equaliser in the latter stages, pinning back Chelsea in their own half and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy preserved the visitors' lead 17 minutes before time with a big save to deny Ivan Toney, who was through at the near post.
Mbeumo came close to levelling matters for the Bees two minutes later after going through inside the box but his low strike came off the bottom post and Mendy was making heroic saves in the dying minutes, as Brentford were piling on the presure.
Mendy pulled off another incredible save deep in stoppage time to parry over the bar an over-head kick by Norgaard, as Chelsea held on to move one point clear at the top of the log.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za
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