Despite the 4-1 scoreline, Chelsea fell behind to Cardiff City yesterday and only managed to get back into the game due to a controversial strike from Eden Hazard.
After Jordan Mutch gave the Welsh side the lead, Samuel Eto’o kicked the ball out of the goalkeeper’s hands and then allowed Hazard to tap home.
Goals from Eto’o, Hazard and Oscar followed and that was enough for Jose Mourinho’s men to take home all three points.
Here is some match reaction.
Chelsea assistant first-team coach Steve Holland on Jose Mourinho’s sending off:
“Jose is very frustrated about the time-wasting. From the first minute, they took a long time to take every dead ball.
“We mentioned it politely to the fourth official and referee. It was a deliberate ploy to break up the game and needed some action.
“It was 56 minutes before their goalkeeper finally received a caution. The game changed when we got ahead. They kicked the ball out for us to take a throw in. The ball boy went to get it, threw the ball to Branislav Ivanovic, missed, and so it was in the dug-out area. Ivanovic had the ball in his hands for two seconds, and the referee was gesticulating for him to get it back into play.
“Jose was furious on the touchlines. For an hour, we’d been frustrated by their clear time-wasting.
“Supporters pay good money to watch a game of football and, from a few minutes in, their restarts were taking longer and longer.
“It’s very frustrating for Jose to then be sent off for protesting after we have to throw the ball in within two seconds of getting it.”
Cardiff boss Malky Mackay on Chelsea’s controversial opener:
“At the time, I didn’t see but I’ve been in to see the referee. Our goalkeeper bounced the ball. He saw the player standing there.
“The referee is saying that, at the time, he heard from his linesman that he dropped the ball. He said immediately, if the goalkeeper bounces the ball, it’s a foul on him. He obviously bounces the ball and it’s a huge mistake. A horrendous error.
“They’ve got it wrong between them and it’s cost us. We’ve gone in one-each at half-time instead of one-nil.”
