Sunderland vs Chelsea
Match pulse
SUNAttacking pressure by 5 minutes
Who won: Chelsea 2-1
Chelsea beat Sunderland 2-1 on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at Stadium of Light. Goals for Sunderland: Liam Lawrence (12'). Goals for Chelsea: Hernán Crespo (28') and Arjen Robben (69').
Play by play
- 93'
It's a club-record 10th consecutive Premiership victory for Chelsea. Sunderland remain 10 points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership. In truth, they're screwed.
- 93'
FULL-TIME: Chelsea just about do enough to take the points after holding on following Robben's sending off. It's a hard-fought win, and one which extends their lead to 16 points at the top of the Premiership.
- 93'
Lawrence wins his side a corner when his attempted cross from the left-wing is blocked by Gallas. The same defender heads clear the set-piece at the near post.
- 92'
BLOCK! Huth makes a flying block as he charges down Arca's shot on the edge of the penalty area.
- 91'
Cole is booked for standing in front of the ball as Sunderland attempted to take a quick free-kick.
- 90'
There will be three minutes of added time for Sunderland to fashion an equaliser.
- 89'
Terry is caught on the ankle by a late challenge as he looked to clear. He's soon on his feet, though not without a grimace.
- 88'
Chelsea have all their players in their own half as Davis hoofs a long clearance downfield. They have been made to work hard to protect their lead.
- 87'
Hoyte's cross from the right is over-hit and goes behind. A wasted chance to send over a testing ball.
- 86'
SHOT! Lampard cuts inside on to his left foot after working a yard of space inside the penalty area, but his shot flies a couple of yards over the crossbar.
- 84'
Chelsea are conceding a lot of ground to the home side, inviting them to attack and hoping to hit on the break.
- 84'
SAVE! Davis has to be alert to save low down to his right after Cole flicks a Duff cross goalwards at the near post.
- 83'
Sunderland are at least mounting a bit of pressure on Chelsea as the game comes to a close; again, there is a penalty shout as Terry pulls at the shirt of Gray.
- 82'
CHELSEA SUB: Huth replaces Gudjohnsen. Mourinho opts to go with five at the back for the final ten minutes as they bid to extend their lead at the top of the table.
- 81'
Carvalho and Gray tangle in the penalty area as the two compete for a loose ball. The Sunderland player goes to ground, but the referee doesn't see it as an penalty.
- 80'
Sunderland have had a bit more possession since Robben's sending off, but Chelsea are good enough to see this out without any real scares. Aren't they?
- 79'
SUNDERLAND SUBS: Murphy and Gray replace Stead and Le Tallac. The front two for Sunderland have worked very hard with little impact. It's a last throw of the dice by McCarthy.
- 78'
Cech comes a long way to punch clear Lawrence's cross from the right wing, taking out Le Tallac in the process. The young striker is flat out on the turf, and needs treatment from the Sunderland physio.
- 77'
Cech easily collects a near-post cross after Whitehead had broken down the right for the home side.
- 76'
Sunderland don't seem to even have the belief that they can snatch an equaliser; they aren't really committing players forward or threatening the Chelsea goal in any way whatsoever.
- 74'
The tempo of the game has rather slowed since Chelsea's second goal. The visitors seem content to play out the rest of the game and take home three hard-earned points.
- 73'
HEADER! Le Tallac makes a good run and leap to get on the end of Arca's chip in to the penalty area, but his header is straight at Cech.
- 72'
Collins pushes over Cole after the Chelsea substitute robbed him of the ball in his own half.
- 71'
Sunderland don't really look like they have the firepower to test Chelsea, even with a man-advantage. Le Tallac and Stead have been virtually anonymous in the second half.
- 70'
CHELSEA SUB: Crespo is replaced by Cole. A second attacking change by Mourinho as he brings some strength and power to his side with the introduction of Cole.
Leaders
SUNCHE 
