Late Fabio Carvalho goal earns Brentford draw with Chelsea in EPL
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LONDON – Brentford thumbed their nose at the “snobbery” of long throws, as Fabio Carvalho struck in injury time to salvage a dramatic 2-2 English Premier League draw with Chelsea in their west London derby on Sept 13 – to stop the Blues from provisionally moving top of the table.
Chelsea looked poised for victory after substitute Cole Palmer, returning from a groin injury, scored an equaliser in the 61st minute and then Moises Caicedo struck in the 85th.
But Carvalho poked home the equaliser in the third minute of added time to the delight of the crowd at the Gtech Community Stadium, scoring from six metres out after Kevin Schade’s long throw-in.
“Unbelievable. Everyone likes a last-minute goal. I’m just grateful I got it today,” the Portuguese player said. “Obviously, it wasn’t a win but it felt like a win.”
The BBC reported that this is the seventh goal the Bees have scored from long throws since the start of last season, five more than any other Premier League team.
Schade had broken the deadlock with the opening goal in the 35th minute when Jordan Henderson launched a stunning 40-metre lob just ahead of a sprinting Schade. The German cut inside Tosin Adarabioyo before shooting, with the ball deflecting off the inside of Adarabioyo’s leg and into the far corner.
Palmer had been a doubt for this match after missing two league games and England’s World Cup qualifiers due to injury. But he scored less than five minutes after coming on, when Joao Pedro headed Enzo Fernandez’s cross into his path, and the 23-year-old swept home with a half-volley.
Palmer had another brilliant chance when he struck Pedro Neto’s cross from 12 metres out but he was denied by goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
“Everyone knows (Palmer) is so important for the team. He came on and changed the game for us,” Caicedo told Sky Sports.
The Ecuadorian celebrated what he thought was the winner when he unleashed a rocket into the top corner from an Alejandro Garnacho cross, in the Argentinian’s first game since Chelsea signed him from Manchester United.
But Brentford’s use of the long throw-in paid off with Carvalho’s late goal.
“(The long throw-in) has been here for numerous years, it’s not new to us,” Brentford boss Keith Andrews told the BBC.
“That was probably the last eight to 10 games of last season, big Champions League games it was quite prominent and I felt it would probably trickle down the game.
“I felt there’s a little bit of snobbery in the game around scenarios like that, but if the big boys do it, then it seems to be accepted.”
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca lamented the two points lost after his team had six shots on target – five of them in the second half – to Brentford’s four.
“It’s a shame (to concede late) but it happens,” the Italian told the BBC. “Probably we could manage that moment of the game better but in the end we concede and lose two points.”
Earlier on Sept 13, Tottenham Hotspur ran riot in the second half of their 3-0 win over 10-man West Ham as the pressure mounted on under-fire boss Graham Potter.
Spurs took the lead through Pape Sarr’s header soon after the interval at the London Stadium.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek was sent off for a studs-up foul on Joao Palhinha seven minutes after Sarr’s opener.
Lucas Bergvall made sure Tottenham capitalised on the Czech’s dismissal as he bagged their second goal and provided the assist for Micky van de Ven to seal the points in a one-sided London derby.
West Ham are languishing in the relegation zone after a third defeat in four matches. Potter and his team were booed off at the final whistle, as the few fans who remained in the stadium showed their displeasure. REUTERS, AFP
