Didier Drogba headed Chelsea in front after three
minutes but Jonathan Woodgate rose to equalise for Spurs. Michael
Essien's clever finish restored Chelsea's lead after 21 minutes and
Joe Cole looked to have sealed the points with a third in the 52nd
minute.
Dimitar Berbatov's header and a Tom Huddlestone strike
put Spurs level, and after Cole hit his second, Keane curled in
superbly two minutes from time. Spurs fielded the side that beat
Chelsea in the Carling Cup final - and showed videos of their
triumph on the White Hart Lane big screens before kick-off.
The cheers were swiftly silenced as Chelsea swept into
a third-minute lead, Drogba heading in John Terry's cross at the
far post. Joe Cole thought he had doubled Chelsea's lead three
minutes later when he rounded Spurs keeper Paul Robinson to score,
but the strike was ruled out for offside.
Spurs delivered a timely response to level after 12
minutes when Wembley goal hero Woodgate rose above Drogba and Terry
to send a powerful header high beyond Carlo Cudicini from Jermaine
Jenas's free-kick. Chelsea looked the more dangerous side and
should have restored their lead when Salomon Kalou just failed to
apply the finishing touch to Joe Cole's driven cross. But they did
not have long to wait before going back in front, Essien beating
Robinson with a neat finish after 20 minutes with the outside of
his right foot after a clever ball from Joe Cole unlocked the Spurs
defence.
Drogba wasted a good chance to extend Chelsea's
advantage two minutes before the break after Frank Lampard robbed
Jenas. The striker selfishly shot straight at Robinson with the
England midfield man unmarked. There was an unsavoury scene on the
stroke of half-time when Ashley Cole floored Spurs defender Alan
Hutton near the touchline with a tackle that was both high and late
- and worthy of a red card in the current disciplinary climate.
Chelsea's players - led with an air of inevitability by England
captain John Terry under the watchful eye of coach Fabio Capello -
rushed and surrounded referee Mike Riley in a chaotic scene that
did them no credit. When the crowd of Chelsea players finally
dispersed, Riley showed leniency in producing only a yellow card -
and even then Cole stood pointedly with his back to the official
before receiving his punishment.
Joe Cole had been a shining light for Chelsea, and he
added a third for Chelsea after 52 minutes when he escaped a flimsy
challenge from Pascal Chimbonda to score via Robinson's body. But
Spurs were back in contention after 61 minutes when Berbatov rose
above Terry to meet Huddlestone's corner and send a looping header
over Cudicini.
The Italian keeper produced a stunning save three
minutes later to preserve Chelsea's lead, denying Keane at
point-blank range after he was picked out by Berbatov's pass. It
was an end-to-end affair, and Essien almost grabbed his second with
a low shot that beat Robinson but rebounded to safety off an
upright. But Spurs' all-out attacking approach paid off with 15
minutes left when Keane's corner fell to the giant Huddlestone, who
fired a superb left foot drive beyond Cudicini.
Spurs sensed an unlikely victory, but Chelsea responded
in style and the inspirational Joe Cole put them back in front in
the 80th minute, shrugging off another weak tackle from Chimbonda
to beat Robinson emphatically. There was another twist after 88
minutes when a long clearance hit Ricardo Carvalho on the back and
Keane reacted quickly to curl a 20-yard shot past Cudicini. And in
a grandstand finish, Cudicini produced a wonder save from Berbatov
when the Bulgarian looked poised to cap a magnificent match with
the winner.
Tottenham: Robinson, Hutton, Woodgate,
King (Bent 68), Chimbonda, Lennon, Jenas (Huddlestone 46), Zokora,
Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Tainio, Dawson.
Booked: Keane, Huddlestone.
Goals: Woodgate 12, Berbatov 61,
Huddlestone 75, Keane 88.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferreira
(Shevchenko 90), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien, Makelele,
Lampard, Joe Cole (Ballack 82), Drogba, Kalou (Alex 71).
Subs Not Used: Hilario, Wright-Phillips.
Booked: Joe Cole, Ashley Cole.
Goals: Drogba 3, Essien 20, Joe Cole
52, 80.
Att: 36,178
Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).
