The Hindu : Sport / Football : West Ham holds Chelsea

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West Ham holds Chelsea

— PHOTO: AFP

ON TARGET: Newcastle’s Michael Owen (centre) scores against Portsmouth.

LONDON: Chelsea failed to go top of the Premier League here on Sunday after being held to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge by London rival West Ham.

The result saw the Blues stay in second place but close the gap on leader Liverpool to just one point.

Meanwhile, West Ham moved a point clear of the relegation zone.

Wales striker Craig Bellamy put West Ham, managed by former Chelsea forward Gianfranco Zola, ahead in the 33rd minute with a goal allowed to stand by referee Mike Riley despite home protests for handball.

But six minutes into the second-half Chelsea was level when Nicolas Anelka scored his 100th Premier League goal, the France forward on-target from close range after latching onto England midfielder Frank Lampard’s through-ball.

Owen lifts Newcastle

In another match, Michael Owen scored his seventh goal of the season to help Newcastle beat Portsmouth 3-0 and lift it out of the relegation zone.

Although Newcastle went into the match in 18th place with just three wins, it created far more chances than the host and eventually converted when Owen scored in the 52nd minute.

Obafemi Martins made it 2-0 in the 77th and Danny Guthrie completed the scoring from a counter-attack with a minute to go as Newcastle moved up to the 14th place.

Martins almost put Newcastle ahead in the 20th with a shot from 25 metres that swerved past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper David James but hit the post.

James then saved a shot by full-back Jose Enrique that was bound for the top corner.

Guthrie set up Martins for his goal from a low shot and, with Portsmouth attacking in search of a late goal or two, completed his team’s first away win of the season with a side-footed finish from just inside the area into the top of the net.

The results: On Sunday: Portsmouth 0 lost to Newcastle 3 (Owen 52, Martins 77, Guthrie 89).

On Saturday: Manchester United 0 drew with Tottenham Hotspur 0. — Agencies

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