Chelsea have brought down the curtain on their fifth English
championship-winning season with a 1-0 friendly victory over Sydney FC in front
of 83,598 fans at the Olympic Stadium.
France striker Loic Remy scored the winner on Tuesday with a
thunderbolt of a strike after 30 minutes and a typically solid defensive
performance from Jose Mourinho's side sealed a triumphant end to their long
campaign.
The Sky Blues, runners up in the A-League final last month,
ensured it was not entirely an exhibition match but Petr Cech, in Chelsea's
goal for perhaps the last time, and his back four were in defiant mood.
Mourinho promised to put out a strong side and he was true
to his word with the attacking trio of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Remy
causing problems for the home defence from the start with their skill and pace.
Remy spurned the first couple of chances his team mates
carved out for him but made no mistake on the half hour, cutting inside from
the right wing on to his left foot and lashing the ball into the top corner of
the net.
Sydney FC almost struck back immediately but Cech saved from
Christopher Naumoff and Chelsea centre half Branislav Ivanovic cleared Alex
Brosque's follow-up off the line.
The Londoners went straight back up the other end and
Costa's left-foot shot across goal was pushed just wide of the post by
goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic.
The Spanish striker was substituted five minutes before
halftime after indicating to the bench that he had a problem with his calf
while Hazard played on until the 89th minute.
It was the Belgian's pass which set up Remy for what should
have had been his second goal in the 68th minute, only for Alex Gersbach to
shoulder the shot off the line.
Sydney FC thought it had equalised a minute from time when
defender Seb Ryall bundled the ball over the line from close range but the
referee ruled he had handled.
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