Joao Pedro Ends Goal Drought As Chelsea Beat Tottenham 1-0
Chelsea secured a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s Premier League showdown, with Brazilian striker Joao Pedro ending his goal drought to hand the Blues another memorable victory over their London rivals. Coming off a shock defeat to Sunderland last weekend, Enzo Maresca’s side showed intent from the start, pressing high and controlling the tempo throughout the match. Tottenham struggled to keep up with Chelsea’s intensity, rarely finding a way through a disciplined backline. The breakthrough arrived in the 34th minute when Moises Caicedo dispossessed Micky van de Ven near the edge of the Spurs box and quickly squared the ball to Joao Pedro, who calmly slotted past Guglielmo Vicario from eight metres out. Pedro looked sharp and hungry for more, but Vicario stood firm, denying him on three separate occasions. The Tottenham keeper also made key saves from Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho, preventing the scoreline from becoming more embarrassing for the hosts. At the other end, Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had a quiet evening, making only one save all match. Despite creating several clear-cut chances, Chelsea couldn’t extend their lead, though Maresca was satisfied with the result. “I am happy with the 1-0, with the three points, especially because we kept the clean sheet,” he said. “We know we’re a team that will always create chances, but it’s also important to be strong defensively.” Tottenham’s performance drew frustration from their supporters, with loud boos ringing around the stadium after the final whistle. Manager Thomas Frank admitted his side were outplayed. “It’s extremely painful,” Frank said. “Chelsea were good, and we were definitely second best. We performed badly, and the frustration is understandable.” The result lifted Chelsea to fourth place in the Premier League table with 17 points from 10 games, one spot below Spurs on goal difference. It also extended their impressive record against Tottenham, having now won 13 of their last 14 league meetings. As the game ended, the travelling Chelsea fans mocked their hosts with the familiar chant, “Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again,” a reminder of the Blues’ long-standing dominance in this London rivalry.
