Sports

Sturridge stunner denies Hazard & Chelsea

Published

6 years ago

September 29, 2018

A stunning long-range Daniel Sturridge effort helped cancel out Eden Hazard’s fine opener to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw at Chelsea.
A stunning strike from Daniel Sturridge snatched a 1-1 draw for Liverpool against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side looked to be heading for a second defeat to the Blues this week after Eden Hazard struck a brilliant opener, but Sturridge’s emphatic effort from distance in the 89th minute rescued a point.

The draw, which comes just three days after Chelsea claimed a 2-1 EFL Cup win at Anfield, means Liverpool’s 100 per cent winning record in the Premier League this season ends and they are level on points with leaders Manchester City, behind only on goal difference.
Chelsea sit two points further back after a thrilling encounter, but, like Liverpool, remain unbeaten.

Mohamed Salah wasted two early half-chances before Willian was thwarted by Alisson, but Liverpool fell behind for the first time in the league this season 25 minutes in through a stunning Hazard goal.

The Belgium star combined with Olivier Giroud and Mateo Kovacic in the centre-circle, raced onto the midfielder’s pass and rifled the ball across Alisson and into the bottom-right corner.

Salah looked to have levelled 32 minutes in after escaping Marcos Alonso and rounding Kepa Arrizabalaga, but the covering Antonio Rudiger stretched to clear the ball off the line.

Kepa denied Sadio Mane with a strong reflex stop in the second half, but Chelsea looked a threat on the break and Alisson denied Hazard one-on-one after a quick free-kick.

The disappointing Salah was replaced by Xherdan Shaqiri as Liverpool chased their equaliser, and the Switzerland international promptly side-footed wide with the goal gaping after Andy Robertson had capitalised on Alonso’s slip.

Roberto Firmino saw a header hooked off the line by David Luiz as the visitors kept Chelsea pinned back, before Sturridge rescued a result with a curling strike from nearly 30 yards out that left Kepa with no chance.