The Hindu : Sport / Football : Shevchenko, Ballack score

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Monday, Oct 23, 2006
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Shevchenko, Ballack score

LONDON: Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack scored for Chelsea on Saturday, helping the defending champion beat Portsmouth 2-1 in the English Premier League.

Shevchenko scored in the 55th minute and Ballack added another two minutes later at Stamford Bridge with his first Premier League goal. Both were subsequently shown yellow cards for celebrating. Portsmouth pulled one back in the 69th when Benjani Mwaruwari scored.

Chelsea now has 22 points, but Manchester United, which plays Liverpool on Sunday, can hold onto the lead on goal difference with a win.

Also on Saturday, it was: Charlton 0, Watford 0; Everton 2, Sheffield United 0; Wigan 4, Manchester City 0; and Aston Villa 1, Fulham 1.

Shevchenko, who joined Chelsea for a club-record fee, took a low cross from Arjen Robben to score into the corner of the net. He also had a goal disallowed for offside and forced Portsmouth goalkeeper David James into making two strong saves in the first half.

Shevchenko last scored for the Blues in a 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough on Aug. 23.

Mourinhospeak

"His performances have improved from match to match, but it was always a feeling of `unlucky, great save, unlucky, great save,' and in the first half David James made an amazing save," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "You get the feeling that a goal is never coming and finally the goal is there."

Ballack, who also joined Chelsea in the off-season, headed in a goal after Didier Drogba's cross in the 57th.

Chelsea again played with Hilario in goal as Carlo Cudicini hadn't recovered from the concussion he sustained in last Saturday's 1-0 win at Reading. Petr Cech is still recovering in the hospital from surgery on a depressed skull fracture sustained in the same game.

Mikel Arteta headed in a cross from Phil Neville to put Everton ahead in the 13th minute at Goodison Park. Sheffield United defender Claude Davis was sent off in the 32nd for bring down Andy Johnson in the box. James Beattie scored from the resulting penalty a minute later.

Unbeaten

Aston Villa is still the only unbeaten club in the Premier League after its 1-1 draw with Fulham.

Villa took the lead in the 25th minute when Gareth Barry converted a penalty kick. Fulham levelled in the 45th through Moritz Volz, who side-footed the ball in from close range. — AP

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