LONDON: Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 on Saturday to return to the Premier League top four as well-worked first-half goals from talisman Cole Palmer and France fullback Malo Gusto stemmed a run of four games in all competitions without a victory.
Palmer, back in action this month after missing most of the season through injury, drilled the ball between goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and the near post after Gusto’s pinpoint pass.
Gusto switched from provider to scorer in the 46th minute when he poked a Pedro Neto cross home after the Portuguese winger outpaced marker Vitalii Mykolenko.
“It was important for us to come back, with a clean sheet it was even better,” Gusto told Sky Sports.
The right-back said he trusted Palmer to score from his pass. “He knows I like to pass the ball to him, it was a great run for him and he scored, so I’m happy for him and me too.”
The result lifted Chelsea to 28 points, five behind leaders Arsenal, who host bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers later on Saturday, and two ahead of Crystal Palace who welcome second-place Manchester City on Sunday. Everton fell to eighth on 24.
The visitors, who had won four of their previous five games, looked bright at the start and matched Chelsea for intent and work rate but they failed to take their chances, with Jack Grealish, James Tarkowski and Idrissa Gueye going close.
Iliman Ndiaye hit the post in the 87th minute but by then the game had run away from Everton, although coach David Moyes remained an animated presence in front of the dugout.
For Chelsea it was a welcome three points after they drew with Arsenal and Bournemouth and lost to Leeds United in the Premier League, as well as
going down 2-1 against Atalanta
in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“It’s important to win games after two or three we didn’t win,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said. “It’s important for the players. We are happy.”
Chelsea return to top four with 2-0 home win over Everton
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Chelsea return to top four with 2-0 home win over Everton
- Palmer drilled the ball between goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and the near post after Gusto’s pinpoint pass
- The result lifted Chelsea to 28 points, five behind leaders Arsenal
England comeback win against New Zealand gives Pakistan last shot at T20 World Cup semifinals
- Pakistan have to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the co-host in 13.1 overs
- England have already qualified but completed Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten
COLOMBO: New Zealand failed to clinch a Twenty20 World Cup semifinals place when it lost to England by four wickets on Friday, leaving Pakistan a last chance to qualify.
New Zealand looked set to join England in the semifinals when it reduced England to 117-6 in the 17th over in pursuit of 160. But big hits by Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed got England over the finish line with three balls remaining in a thriller.
“Would have made our lives easier if we won,” New Zealand captain Mitch Santner said. “We played a pretty good game. Credit to England. Jacks and Rehan with the finishing touches, it was a good bit of batting.”
The odds still favor New Zealand going through from the Super Eights but Pakistan has a last-ditch chance on Saturday against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Pakistan has to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the tournament co-host in 13.1 overs.
England had already qualified but completed the Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten.
That record was in jeopardy for much of the chase.
Phil Salt was out in the first over and fellow opener Jos Buttler for a two-ball duck in the second over. Buttler has only 62 runs in seven matches and his 10th career duck set the all-time record for England in T20s.
“He’s played 150 games for England,” captain Harry Brook said of Buttler, “and people need to take a little step back. He’s probably the best white-ball player to play the game. He’s in a rut but it’s exciting to know what he could produce in the next few games.”
Brook and Jacob Bethel were gone inside nine overs then Tom Banton and Sam Curran struggled to share 42 runs in 35 balls. England was left needing 43 runs off 19 deliveries with four wickets on a used pitch that was turning.
Ahmed replaced Jamie Overton because of the pitch and took 2-28, and he made his bat also count.
He sent the second ball he faced over the long-on fence as he and Jacks turned the game with 22 runs in the 18th over bowled by Glenn Phillips. They plundered 16 runs from the 19th bowled by Santner and cruised home.
Jacks was unbeaten on 32 including a six and four boundaries. Ahmed faced seven deliveries for 19 which included two sixes and a boundary.
“Having gone out on a knife edge I’m over the moon,” Jacks said after his fourth player of the match award in the tournament. “Rehan played a brilliant innings. Everyone struggled to get going on that pitch and the six he hit second ball got them rattled and I fed off him.
“Feel confident right now, calm in the middle. That can be vital. We’re going in the right direction, three wins in the Super Eight, we’re very happy.”
Santner chose to bat first, as both teams wanted, and his team made 159-7.
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen opened with 64 in seven overs but they lost wickets frequently from then on. Phillips top-scored with 39. New Zealand scored only 24 runs in the last three overs.
Spinners Jacks, Adil Rashid and Ahmed took two wickets each.
