Chelsea completely lost their
discipline as two sending offs,
seven yellow cards and a penalty
handed QPR a 1-0 win - their first
victory over their arch-rivals for
16 years.
Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba
both saw red in the clash at
Loftus Road, while Ashley Cole
also picked up a suspension for
his fifth booking of the season.
The rot set in when David Luiz
needlessly conceded an eighth-
minute penalty which Heidar
Helguson scored, but the nine
men wasted more than one
chance to level, most notably
when Nicolas Anelka headed
straight at Paddy Kenny.
The defeat saw Chelsea blow the
chance to capitalise on
Manchester United's derby
humiliation and move second in
the Premier League, while also
leaving them six points adrift of
Manchester City.
That merely added to the
jubilation for the home fans as
they celebrated their side's first
home victory since promotion.
Captain Joey Barton's personal
attack on opposite number John
Terry six days earlier did not
prevent the pair shaking hands
before kick-off but there was no
love lost between the rival fans in
what was a cracking atmosphere
at Loftus Road.
Daniel Sturridge and Luiz
threatened early on but the latter's
habit of making daft challenges
cost Chelsea dear in the eighth
minute when they failed to deal
with a long clearance and the
defender nudged Helguson over
in the box.
Referee Chris Foy pointed to the
spot and Helguson snatched the
ball from a far-from impressed
Adel Taraabt and sent the penalty
into the top corner via Petr Cech's
fingertips.
The were bossing possession
without creating anything of note
and their afternoon took another
turn for the worse in the 32nd
minute when Bosingwa was
controversially sent off.
Bosingwa hauled down Shaun
Wright-Phillips when the winger
threatened to burst clear, with
Foy deeming the right-back to be
last man and brandishing red.
Chelsea were livid with the
decision, which was followed by
Taraabt curling the resultant free-
kick too close to Cech.
Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas
sacrificed Sturridge for Branislav
Ivanovic but his misery was far
from over, with Drogba getting
himself sent off four minutes
before half-time.
The striker lunged in two footed
on Taraabt and - unlike his other
two major decisions - left Foy
with little option.
Villas-Boas took action again in
first-half stoppage-time,
withdrawing Mata for Nicolas
Anelka.
It looked a lost cause for the nine
men, who were sent out a full
two minutes before their
opponents after the break.
Incredibly, they went close to
levelling straight away when
Lampard was just beaten to Raul
Meireles' brilliant cross.
Kenny also flapped at a
dangerous Ivanovic ball but they
were soon hit on the break and
John Obi Mikel was booked for
upending Taraabt.
Lampard and Shaun Derry had to
be dragged away from each
other following a penalty-box
scramble, with Foy booking both.
Luke Young screwed a great
chance wide as Rangers finally
began to make their advantage
tell, while Ivanovic became the
latest man cautioned for clattering
Taraabt.
Barton picked up a customary
yellow for going in late on Terry
before Taraabt was withdrawn
for Tommy Smith on the hour
mark, the Moroccan also living up
to his reputation for storming
down the tunnel.
Young got in behind again five
minutes later but he drilled his
cross straight at Cech.
Lampard was furious midway
through the half when he felt Fitz
Hall had bundled him over in the
box only to see the officials
unmoved.
Luiz was booked for another poor
challenge before seeing a penalty
appeal turned down when he hit
the deck under challenge from
Helguson.
Barton almost scored on the
break, and Meireles was booked
for dissent before being
immediately withdrawn for
Florent Malouda.
But there was no stopping the
yellow tide, Cole almost made to
pay for his booking when
Helguson volleyed over from
point-blank range.
Chelsea should have capitalised
with just over 10 minutes left
when Ivanovic put the ball on a
plate for Anelka, who somehow
headed the ball straight at Kenny
from four yards.
Jamie Mackie replaced Derry but
Chelsea wasted another great
chance to level when Lampard
deflected Luiz's overhead kick
over the crossbar.
With time running out, Villas-
Boas made his feelings clear to
the fourth official, while tempers
flared late on when Terry closed
down Kenny and the pair squared
up on the six-yard line.
There was still time for Cole to
nod a weak header at Kenny and
Cech - of all people - nearly to get
his head on the end of a free-kick.
Final - Arsenal 3-1 Stoke City
Final - Fulham 1-3 Everton
Final - Manchester United 1-6
Manchester City
Final - Blackburn Rovers 1-2
Tottenham Hotspur
Topic: QPR 1 - 0 CHELSEA. Report (Read 2151 times)
