Norwich City 2-3 Chelsea
Two goals from Tammy Abraham gave Chelsea their first league win of the season in an entertaining lunchtime clash with Norwich City at Carrow Road.
This had become a bigger game that Chelsea would have wanted as they entered their third match without a Premier League victory, but they collected all three points after beating their big-hearted hosts.
Frank Lampard’s men sealed a win with Abraham’s second goal after his early strike was immediately equalised by Todd Cantwell. Before the game was 20 minutes old, Mason Mount had restored the lead.
Finnish striker Teemu Pukki scored his fifth goal of the campaign to make it 2-2 at the break, but Chelsea ran out deserved winners after dominating the second half.
Daniel Farke’s Norwich came into the game on the back of a convincing win over Newcastle United and played with plenty of confidence, but their defence was too easily breached.
Highlights of the game
The match got off to a blistering start as there were two goals in the opening six minutes, and it was Chelsea who struck first with a lovely flowing move. Mason Mount released Cesar Azpilicueta, who floated over a superb cross which Abraham volleyed home.
But the lead lasted just two minutes before the Carrow Road crowd was on its feet. Teemu Pukki started the day as the league’s joint-top scorer with four goals, but he also made his fair share of assists last season. So when he fired in a low cross from the left flank, Cantwell was there to slot the ball home.
Our SBOBET Premier League team have been wondering where the Chelsea goals would come from after the departure of Eden Hazard, with much expectation already on the shoulders of summer buy Christian Pulisic.
And the young American gave Blues’ fans cause for optimism with a clever ball which released Mount, who coolly slotted home Chelsea’s second on just 17 minutes.
Abraham almost bagged his second, but his shot was blocked by a desperate Norwich defence. Canaries keeper Tim Krul then made a stunning save to keep out an Andreas Christensen header. But as Chelsea searched for a third, Norwich hit the favourites with a sucker punch.
Emiliano Buendia slid the ball through for Pukki and as Kepa advanced, the lethal Finn slid the ball past him and into the net to make it 2-2 at the break.
Chelsea opened the second half on the front foot with both Mount and Pulisic having early shots on Krul’s goal as the Blues dominated the early possession and territory. And the Canaries were sweating when Azpilicueta went down under a challenge from Marco Stieperman, but the visitors’ penalty appeals were waved away.
Mount tested Krul from distance and, in a rare Norwich attack, Pukki brought a save from Kepa. But the Chelsea domination was finally rewarded midway through the second half. Abraham picked up a through ball before firing a low shot from the edge of the area, giving Krul no chance.
But if we thought Norwich would lie down, there was none of that from the hosts. They came within a whisker of equalising for the third time when Ben Godfrey rose at a corner and his header cannoned off the crossbar.
Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma stabbed the ball home but his effort was disallowed for a foul by Olivier Giroud on the Norwich keeper.
Then, as the clock ticked down, Godfrey was lucky to escape a red card when he appeared to stamp on Mount, but VAR gave the young Canaries defender a reprieve.
Key statistics
The pre-match Norwich vs Chelsea odds had the Blues at 1.87 to win, which looked about right after a dominant second half.
Chelsea have now won 12 of the head to heads in the Premier League era, drawing four and the Canaries winning two.
At an average age of 25, Lampard had picked the youngest Chelsea side since 2012.
Meanwhile, the prolific Pukki is only the 10th Premier League player to score in each of his first three games.
What’s next?
Fans of Norwich and Chelsea can now sit back and watch the Premier League 2019 updates as they roll in over the weekend.
Having drawn his first game at Stamford Bridge against Leicester City, a home match against Sheffield United awaits Frank Lampard and his young Blues.
Norwich’s next three fixtures are West Ham away, Manchester City at home and Burnley away. They need to tighten up in defence because it might prove difficult again to outscore those three.
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