8) Reading 0 -1 Chelsea Fc

Sat, 14th Oct 2006 Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini were carried off, John Obi Mikel on his Premiership debut was sent off, and later so was Reading's André Bikey. Chelsea won with an own goal by Ivar Ingimarsson who had already headed against his own bar. Cech was carried off after a Hunt challenge on 16 seconds. Cudicini was carried off after a Sonko challenge in stoppage time. Referee Riley did not whistle up either challenge. Chelsea now have a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the Barcelona game on Wednesday when Hilário may have to make his debut in goal. Cech dived to take a not particularly fast progressing ball after just 16 seconds, ensuring good collection, and chasing Hunt caught him in the head with his back leg, knocking him back badly. A long treatment period followed, and he was eventually carried away in a neck brace looking in a particularly bad way. He was taken straight to hospital for a check-up. Cudicini took his place in goal. Down the other end Ferreira outpaced the left hand side of Reading's team and whipped in a cross which bewildered Ingimarsson headed over his advancing goalkeeper Hahnemann and against the bar. Almost immediately Robben dispossessed Murty as he challenged for Lampard's pass, drove diagonally into the area and whacked a low shot across the six yard box that the well placed Drogba couldn't reach. Chelsea were in charge with 20 minutes gone. But Ferreira required treatment after falling badly on his elbow when he headed away as the retreating Mikel stumbled into him. After looking as though he would have to be replaced ? Carvalho was changed and ready to come on ? he was bandaged and able to continue. Reading quickly had a chance when referee Mike Riley seemed to respond to home crowd screams and gave them a delayed free-kick after Terry had headed away from Lita and landed on him. The furious England captain made his feelings clear and received a lengthy talking to but no booking. He continued to air his feelings though. Drogba, in the wall, headed away the shot.

Next Riley booked Ingimarsson for a challenge from behind on Shevchenko. It was a foul but Reading may have felt he was equalling up his shady decisions. Chelsea were enjoying far superior possession to Reading who attacked as swiftly and directly as possible whenever they had the ball. They stood off Chelsea's back line and let them bring the ball forward, and Terry took advantage several times, bombing upfield and seeking openings. Two minutes past the half-hour Hunt, like Mikel enjoying his Premiership full debut, forced his way through two challenges, Ferreira and Essien, and forced the ball past Boulahrouz after a drag-back through to Doyle, who turned 12 yards out and drove an excellent shot past Cudicini but off the inside of the post. Four minutes before half-time Chelsea should have taken the lead when Hahnamenn threw to a not-looking Bikey, the substitute for captain Murty whose return from a hamstring injury had ended early, and Robben darted in on goal. He looked as though he didn't want to shoot with his right foot and passed to Drogba whose angled shot struck Hahnemann and rebounded away. A minute before the 45 minutes Mikel was booked for challenging Hunt from behind, and then on a great counter-attack involving Shevchenko, Drogba and Lampard, the latter won a free-kick on the edge of the area when Sonko brought him down. Sonko was booked. Lampard lashed the free-kick goalwards, it rebounded off Sonko and then against Ingimarsson and back past Hahnemann. It was an own goal of unique pinballing. Five minutes of stoppage time were played. Chelsea had worked hard for the interval lead. Five minutes into the second-half Drogba was flagged offside very, very late when through on goal from Ferreira's long pass. It was another wrong decision. Immediately Boulahrouz was whistled up for a foul just outside his area which had Chelsea fuming. Reading took the kick quickly, Terry cleared for a corner and again screamed dismay at the referee's decision-making and this time did get booked. As ten minutes of the second-half passed, Chelsea were shown to have dominated possession by 72 per cent to 28 per cent. But a minute past the hour the situation changed. Mikel in attack lost possession and pulled Sonko back stupidly. He suffered his second yellow card and was sent off. Joe Cole was immediately sent on for Shevchenko and Chelsea became 4-3-2. Little replaced the tired looking Seol for Reading.

The game stepped up a gear. Cole was immediately upended and Boulahrouz, furious at the challenge, seemed to confront half the home side. Essien then went diving in on a challenge, finished up grounded and won the free-kick. A minute past the hour Reading came closest so far to levelling. Good passing on the edge of the area gave Sidwell a shooting opportunity and he drove a low 20 yarder just wide with Cudicini helpless. Possession had changed. Chelsea couldn't keep it, but Reading in their enthusiasm kept committing fouls which got the home crowd screaming ever louder at the referee. Their tenth foul of the half resulted in Bikey being booked for hacking down Drogba from behind. With ten minutes left, Kalou replaced a tired looking Robben. Immediately Drogba, still looking in peak form and condition, dribbled past Bikey and was brought down again and the substitute was booked for a second time and sent off. Ten against ten. In fact, Reading did better with ten men, throwing caution to the wind and pounding forward in search of the equaliser. Four minutes of stoppage time were announced, and two minutes later from Reading's fifth corner of the second-half, Sonko ploughed into Cudicini as he punched clear. After a long stoppage he was carried off, again looking flat out, and John Terry went in goal. Cudicini didn't even return to the dressing room, but was carried off through the nearest exit and taken away, presumably to hospital too. But Chelsea held on with nine men including Drogba at centre-half. There was still time for fitness coach Rui Faria and one of Reading's backroom staff to be sent off after the Reading management had gone into Chelsea's technical area. It was a sixth clean sheet in 11 games this season, and playing for the first time in his favourite central defensive position, Khalid Boulahrouz was outstanding. Reading (4-4-2) Hahnemann; Murty (c) (Bikey 35), Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Seol (Little 62), Sidwell, Harper, Hunt; Doyle, Lita (Long 72). Sent off Bikey (82) (Booked 76, 82). Booked Ingimarsson (28), Songo (44). Chelsea (4-3-3) Cech (Cudicini 5); Ferreira, Boulahrouz, Terry (c), Bridge; Mikel, Essien, Lampard; Shevchenko (J Cole 62), Drogba, Robben (Kalou 81). Scorers Ingimarsson og (44). Sent off Mikel (61). (Booked 44, 61). Booked Terry (51).