Football story by Dominic Taylor, Mon, 16 Jan 2006 11:28:00 GMT


Jose Mourinho looked grim as Liam Lawrence put Sunderland ahead in the 12th minute in their Premiership clash last night. Few would have expected the mighty men from Chelsea to be tested by Sunderland's sure to be relegated team. But Mick McCarthy's boys looked like they were a top flight Premiership club rather than someone fighting to save their season.

Such was the nature of the game that it was Sunderland who dominated in the initial phase leading up to the goal from Lawrence in the 12th minute. John Terry's weak header found the feet of Lawrence, who had no hesitation in pummeling the ball past a hapless Cech in the Chelsea goal.

The champions were stunned by this goal and as Mourinho put it "woke from their slumber." Hernan Crespo got things back on level terms with a header from Joe Cole's knock-on header. At the break a 1-1 score line seemed slightly surreal and Chelsea expectedly came back like wounded tigers in the second half.

Robben, Frank Lampard and Asier del Horno all tested the Black Cats' keeper Davis with good efforts. But it was not until the 69th minute that the deadlock was broken through a lucky deflection by Robben. But the celebrations were tempered after he was sent off for over-celebrating the goal. A 10-man Chelsea held on to emerge victorious and create a 16 point gap at the top of the table.

Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy said that his players were at their best today, “We keep getting beat and it's the worst I have felt today. We did well against the best team in the country and I am proud of my players."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said that it was teamwork rather than money that was propelling Chelsea forward, “Our team has qualities that money can't buy,” Mourinho said. “How many other big teams in the world can fight like Chelsea does, have the same team spirit, organization or mentality?"

Match Details
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).

Sunderland: Davis, Hoyte, Breen, Caldwell, Danny Collins, Lawrence, Whitehead, Miller, Arca, Le Tallec (Gray 81), Stead (Murphy 81).
Goals: Lawrence 12.

Chelsea: Cech, Gallas, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Del Horno, Gudjohnsen (Huth 83), Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole (Duff 63), Crespo (Carlton Cole 72), Robben.
Goals: Crespo 28, Robben 69.

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