Chelsea Leave It Late To Beat Cardiff City

By Max Wise

Chelsea needed two late goals to secure a comeback win over relegation-threatened Cardiff City as their Champions League hopes was given a boost.

Cardiff City will feel hard done by as a number of decisions went against them leaving manager Neil Warnock absolutely livid.

Pedro produced the game's first real effort in the 12th minute when he dropped a shoulder and curled a 20-yard- effort onto the roof of the net.

Josh Murphy responded for the hosts two minutes later, cutting inside on the right of the area and flashing a left-footed curler across the face of goal.

The game remained cagey throughout the first half and it seemed only a moment of magic would be needed to break the deadlock. Willian almost provided it in the 38th minute,bending a beauty of a free-kick over the wall, but the ball flew just wide of the far corner.

Just a minute after the break, Cardiff deservedly took the lead. Chelsea failed to deal with a long throw,and when Harry Arter whipped the ball back in, Victor Camarasa was on hand to flick a volley into the corner from 16 yards out.

Willian threatened Cardiff's goal with a fizzing low drive across Neil Etheridge's goal  in the 74th minute as Chelsea searched for the equalizer.

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be introduced in the Premier League next season, but how Cardiff City wished it was already in place as Chelsea controversially got their equaliser.

Cesar Azpilicueta was about 2 yards offside when he headed Chelsea level after Marcos Alonso flicked on a corner in the 85th minute.

The equalizer spurred Chelsea on they used the momentum to get the winner a minute into stoppage time as substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek headed in Willian's cross to win it for the Blues.