Chelsea secured a valuable 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium and also delivered a clean sheet for the season.
Pedro Neto scored twice, helping manager Xabi Alonso record his first away win as the Blues boss and ending Everton’s unbeaten start to the league season.
The result also gave the World Champions their first Premier League clean sheet in 23 matches. However, the victory was overshadowed by a serious-looking injury to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The Argentina international goalkeeper was taken to hospital after a collision during the second half. Chelsea started the match with more possession, but Everton defended well and looked for opportunities to attack on the counter.
The game quickly became physical, with both teams fighting hard for control of midfield. Jordan Pickford was called into action as the visitors looked for an early breakthrough.
At the other end, Merlin Röhl tested Martinez with a right-footed shot from inside the penalty area, but the away side goalkeeper made the save that kept things goalless.
The visitors came close to scoring through Moises Caicedo, whose powerful volley from a corner routine struck the angle between the post and crossbar. It was one of the best chances of the first half.
Pedro Neto also forced Pickford to push a dangerous effort over the crossbar. The Blues continued to threaten from set pieces, and the host defender cleared the ball off the line from a corner during first-half stoppage time.
Everton had their own opportunities with Thierno Barry missing a major chance when his close-range header went straight into Martinez’s hands. The striker could have given the home side the lead, but his effort lacked the placement needed to beat the goalkeeper.
The first half ended goalless, with the visiting side creating some of the clearest chances but the host remaining in the contest. Chelsea needed just 44 seconds after the restart to break the deadlock.
Morgan Rogers played an excellent backheel to release Jorrel Hato down the left. Hato made a forward run and sent the ball into the penalty area, where Neto finished calmly with his left foot.
The goal put the Blues 1-0 ahead and gave them greater confidence in possession. Hato’s assist was an important moment, as his run opened up the host defence and allowed Neto to find space inside the box.
Everton tried to respond, but the opponent continued to control much of the play. The home side struggled to turn their possession and attacking moves into clear scoring opportunities.
One of the most worrying moments came when Martinez collided with Jarrad Branthwaite while attempting to deal with a free kick. The goalkeeper required lengthy treatment on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher.
Mike Penders came on to replace Martinez, and the match was delayed as medical staff attended to the injured goalkeeper. Martinez was taken to hospital for further assessment.
The incident brought a lengthy stoppage and added more tension to an already physical contest. Everton pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Chelsea remained organised at the back.
The visitors also threatened on the counter-attack, forcing Pickford to make further saves. The away side finally secured the three points in the 90th minute.
A free kick from Jordan Henderson’s side of the pitch led to a scramble inside the penalty area. The ball struck a defender and bounced loose before Neto calmly finished past Pickford to make it 2-0.
The second goal ended the visitors hopes of rescuing a point. Despite 11 minutes of added time, the Blues held on to claim an important away victory. The match finished with a 2-0 victory for Chelsea against Everton.
The match was full of strong challenges, and referee Paul Tierney had to manage several heated exchanges. Acheampong, Armstrong, Tarkowski and Morgan Rogers were among the players booked during the first half.
Christian Norgaard also received a yellow card late in the match after coming from the bench. The physical battle continued after the break, with players from both sides competing aggressively for possession.
The victory was a major boost for Xabi Alonso, as his side ended their poor run of results away to the Toffees and moved up to fourth place in the Premier League standings.
Neto was the standout performer, while Hato’s assist and defensive discipline played important roles in the result. The host suffered their first league defeat of the season.
David Moyes will be disappointed that his team failed to take advantage of Barry’s clear opportunity and other attacking moments which could have given them a fighting chance.
Chelsea will be pleased with the three points and their long-awaited clean sheet, although Martinez’s injury remains a major concern for the team as they might be without the goalkeeper for a while.
