A disjointed Chelsea facet secured a hard-fought victory over Watford at Vicarage Highway on Wednesday evening, in a match that was suspended for 35 minutes after a supporter suffered a cardiac arrest within the stands.
Watford began the match on the entrance foot and got here near taking the lead twice within the opening 5 minutes. First, Joao Pedro noticed his low goal-bound shot blocked by Trevoh Chalobah, earlier than Edouard Mendy was compelled into a wonderful save after Cesar Azpilicueta inadvertently deflected a cross in the direction of his personal aim.
Nonetheless, the match was halted within the eleventh minute when it grew to become clear a medical emergency was unfolding within the stands. The gamers had been taken off the sector and the match was suspended as a supporter acquired CPR from paramedics after a cardiac arrest.
Fortunately the person was stabilised after half an hour and was taken to hospital earlier than play resumed following a five-minute warm-up.
Watford continued the place they left off, however virtually went behind towards the run of play as Mason Mount thumped the skin of the publish. On the half-hour mark, the England worldwide was on the scoresheet, firing into the underside nook after an excellent transfer involving Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz.
The hosts didn’t let their heads drop although, with Danny Rose’s half-volley forcing one other good save from Mendy earlier than the equaliser arrived shortly earlier than half-time.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was dispossessed in the course of the park by Moussa Sissoko, who drove ahead and fed Emmanuel Dennis, whose shot squeezed via Antonio Rudiger’s legs and into the underside nook.
The second half adopted the same sample to the primary, though Watford had been unable to take care of their depth and create as many possibilities.
Chelsea capitalised, snatching the lead with simply over quarter-hour remaining. Mount did extraordinarily properly to achieve the byline, earlier than reducing it again for substitute Hakim Ziyech to fireplace into the roof of the online.
The Moroccan ought to have had a second shortly afterwards, however he headed straight at Daniel Bachmann after Havertz delivered a wonderful cross.
Watford huffed and puffed however by no means created a clear-cut probability to equalise. Juraj Kucka stung Mendy’s fingertips with a long-range free kick in stoppage time, however that was nearly as good because it bought.
This is how the gamers rated…
Daniel Bachmann (GK) – 6/10 – Obtained a hand to Mount’s strike, however could not hold it out. No probability for Ziyech’s aim.
Kiko Femenia (RB) – 6/10 – Defensively sound, though in all probability did not get ahead as a lot as he’d have appreciated.
Craig Cathcart (CB) – 7/10 – So watchful on the again, conserving Havertz shackled for probably the most half.
William Troost-Ekong (CB) – 6/10 – Booked for a really heavy foul on Mount. Fortunate to flee a second yellow for alleviating Christian Pulisic into the promoting hoardings.
Adam Masina (LB) – N/A – Injured inside ten minutes and compelled off simply because it grew to become clear a medical emergency was unfolding.
Imran Louza (DM) – 7/10 – Very tidy operator. Technically one of the best centre-midfielder on the sector within the first half. Pale after the break and ultimately subbed.
Moussa Sissoko (CM) – 8/10 – Bossed Saul and Loftus-Cheek, who had been there for the taking in all honesty. Sensible sort out and help for the leveller.
Tom Cleverley (CM) – 6/10 – Much less influential than his central colleagues, however did the soiled work fairly properly.
Emmanuel Dennis (RW) – 8/10 – Bang in kind. Labored exhausting down the flank and used his physicality so properly. Squeezed the ball via Rudiger and into the nook to equalise.
Josh King (ST) – 5/10 – Peripheral in comparison with a few of his teammates.
Joao Pedro (LW) – 6/10 – So near opening the scoring within the opening exchanges, however denied by Chalobah’s block. Quiet evening in any other case.
Danny Rose (LB) – 7/10 – Launched for Masina. Obtained straight up with the tempo of the sport and bit into the sort out. Drew an excellent save with a pushed half-volley.
Juraj Kucka (CM) – 6/10 – Stung Mendy’s fingertips with a free kick from long-range.
Jeremy Ngakia (RB) – N/A
Edouard Mendy (GK) – 8/10 – Made a wonderful save 5 minutes in after Azpilicueta inadvertently diverted a cross in the direction of his personal aim. Additional prime saves from Rose and Kucka.
Trevoh Chalobah (CB) – 6/10 – Excellent early block to maintain out Pedro’s low goal-bound effort. Regarded nervy in possession, although. Moved into the midfield after the break however compelled off after hurting his hamstring simply earlier than the hour mark.
Andreas Christensen (CB) – 6/10 – Nearly stored his cool in possession, however struggled a bit with the bodily battle.
Antonio Rudiger (CB) – 7/10 – Did not deal notably properly with Watford’s early urgent. Not nice 1v1 defending for the equaliser. Recovered and was usually stable late on.
Cesar Azpilicueta (RWB) – 6/10 – Nowhere close to the affect of Reece James however did his defensive job. Quiet evening earlier than being subbed.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (CM) – 6/10 – Unable to get any kind of grip on the sport amid Watford’s relentless urgent. Did deliciously chapêau a defender and drew a foul.
Saul Niguez (CM) – 4/10 – Booked for a visit on Dennis. Laboured, typically shedding the bodily battle. Hooked at half-time once more, though it may simply have been Loftus-Cheek.
Marcos Alonso (LWB) – 6/10 – Struggled as he was penned in within the first interval. Wonderful run for the opener. Booked.
Mason Mount (RF) – 8/10 – Very near opening the scoring towards the run of play, thumping the skin of the publish. The one participant who matched Watford’s depth, popping as much as thump dwelling the opener. Great help for Ziyech to make it 2-1.
Kai Havertz (CF) – 7/10 – Some good touches and a neat help for Mount – though he may have shot himself. Sensible flip and low cross after half-time, however no-one within the center. An extended, languid run led to a save from Bachmann.
Christian Pulisic (LF) – 6/10 – Unfastened in possession within the nervy opening exchanges. Moved to wing-back and chipped in defensively.
Thiago Silva (CB) – 7/10 – On for Saul on the break as Chelsea reshuffled. Confirmed his value off the bench.
Hakim Ziyech (RF) – 7/10 – Booked and misplaced a few passes horribly. High quality when it mattered although, producing an emphatic end to revive the lead.
Romelu Lukaku (ST) – 6/10 – Maintain-up play wasn’t fairly what it normally is.
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