2) Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Chelsea Fc

23RD August 2006 Chelsea took the lead with a Shevchenko goal, dominated the first-half, but lost to two strikes in the last 12 minutes. The defeat was the final surprise in a night full of them. Chelsea suffered the first blow and surprise when Robben felt tightness in his leg on getting back to the dressing room after the warm-up, and Kalou was upgraded for his full debut. Diarra, who had been left out, stepped up to the bench. Then Middlesbrough lined up with defender Parnaby in midfield giving them a 4-5-1 formation, mirroring Chelsea's 4-3-3 but defensively so. On paper, their line-up had looked more like a back five. On Saturday at Reading after going 3-2 down they had changed to a back three and pinned the home team back. There was a third surprise. The ground was far from full. For Gareth Southgate's home debut as manager Boro fans failed to buy all the seats. Chelsea fans also failed to fill the away allocation. The crowd was 29,198, well below the 35,000 capacity. Finally, there was the early Boro pressure. Their fans held up cards to acknowledge the 20th anniversary of them being locked out of Ayresome Park when they were bankrupt and had to play a game at Hartlepool. Chelsea, of course, were the first opposition in the new Riverside Stadium back in 1995, 11 years ago, when we quickly went a goal down on the way to a 2-0 defeat. This time Carvalho blocked a Boateng effort, Riggot headed over from a corner conceded under no pressure by Ferreira, and Yakubu just failed to meet a Taylor cross which evaded the Chelsea defence and bolted across the area. But throughout the opening period Bridge looked sharp up Chelsea's left, and combined well with all the front three on different occasions. And in the 16th minute Essien provided a wonderful pass, like Robben for the third goal against Manchester City on Sunday, and Bridge hared away again and crossed low for Shevchenko to beat the defence to the ball and stab in his first Premiership goal while falling to the ground. Minutes later Drogba charged away up the right and belted a low ball across the six yard box which Kalou just failed to meet on the dive. In the 22nd minute Drogba raced away again, this time up the left, touched the ball past Davies and was upended with a disgraceful tackle. It was in normal football a sending off offence. Even a lenient referee would give a yellow card. But referee Howard Webb ignored the incident, and then whistled for an offside flag. The Boro fans chanted: "Cheat, cheat..." at Drogba. But the Chelsea team and following noted another referee who failed to see good football foiled by cheating.

Indeed, with 26 minutes gone Boro had committed six fouls, not including Davies' on Drogba, and Chelsea one. From the free-kick which was over 25 yards out after the sixth foul, Shevchenko hit a wonderful top corner shot which Schwarzer brilliantly turned aside as he flew across his goal. After a sticky start, Chelsea were in charge. It took a fine Riggot challenge on Drogba to prevent him converting a Ferreira cross, but the less glamorous players were the ones catching the eye: Essien was everywhere, blocking in defence one minute and shooting and forcing a Schwarzer save the next; and Bridge was intercepting, tackling, counter-attacking. The Chelsea fans soon started singing: "Who needs Ashley Cole, who needs Ashley Cole, we've got Bridgey, we've got Bridgey, who needs Ashley Cole!" Chelsea's eighth free-kick led to a Drogba header and another good Schwarzer save. When the half-time whistle went the only disappointment was that Chelsea weren't at least two goals up as the football deserved - and maybe a man up! The second-half, like the first, started badly. Drogba wasn't out of the tunnel when Middlesbrough kicked off and ran on uninvited by the referee, immediately conceding a free-kick and picking up a yellow card. Chelsea didn't get going at all for the first quarter of an hour, although Kalou was judged offside when he raced away and fed Shevchenko to finish. But at the same time Boro hadn't fashioned a shot on goal, so Southgate took off full-back Davies and put on midfielder Cattermole. Chelsea responded by Shevchenko counter-attacking up the left and crossing superbly for Lampard to arrive and just mis-time his header, hitting the bar. Moments later at the other end Cudicini and Yakubu seemed blinded by the lights when a lob fell near the Chelsea six yard box. Cudicini stayed on his line and Yakubu's free header was mis-timed badly wide. Chelsea looked to need that two goal advantage as much as ever. Middlesbrough went even more attacking with 20 minutes left, replacing midfielder Mendieta with striker Viduka. Boro pushed forward, and Yakuba went down under pressure from Carvalho. Referee Webb waved play on. The game was gaining edge. Parnaby was booked for hacking down Kalou. Drogba fell theatrically in Boro's area and the crowd jeered with fury. Terry dived across his six yard box to head away a dangerous Downing cross. Suddenly Boro had threat. Ferreira was booked for bringing down Downing after a poor pass from Carvalho. From the deep free-kick Pogatetz had a free header six yards out and equalised. For all the Boro pressure, it was their first effort on target. Mourinho sent on Wright-Phillips for Makelele. Essien went in the middle and Chelsea played 4-4-2.

The fact was that the away team looked tired. Kalou was needing too many touches, and the focus of some of the defending was lacking. But Chelsea still looked for the winner. Bridge and Terry were outstanding, Lampard forced a booking, finally, out of Boateng, and then thumped the free-kick from over 25 yards and forced another Shwarzer diving save, the ball tucking under him as Essien tried to square the rebound back into the six yards box. Seconds later it was all over. Carvalho failed to clear a long ball forward, Downing crossed, Yakubu knocked down, Viduka finished. It was their second shot on target and the last minute of normal time. Terry went forward for stoppage time, but the game was lost. If you don't take your chances, and you can't defend your goal, you lose games like this. Middlesbrough (4-5-1): Schwarzer; Davies (Cattermole 60), Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor; Mendieta (Viduka 71), Parnaby, Boateng (c), Rochemback, Downing; Yakubu. Scorers: Pogatetz (79), Viduka (89) Booked: Parnaby (76), Boateng (87) Chelsea (4-3-3): Cudicini; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), Bridge; Essien, Makelele (Wright-Phillips 84), Lampard; Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou. Scorers: Shevchenko (15) Booked: Drogba (45.20), Ferreira (78)