LONDON, 22 August 2005 — Champions Chelsea broke Arsenal’s 10-year unbeaten league streak against their west London rivals yesterday as Didier Drogba’s fluke second-half goal gave them a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
It was Drogba’s third goal this season against the Premier League runners-up after the two he put away in the season-opening Community Shield in Cardiff a fortnight ago.
The 73rd-minute strike also spoiled Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s celebration of 500 matches in charge at Highbury.
Until the goal the match had been a dour affair between the two English heavyweights, neither side looking sharp in the warm early season sunshine. It improved in the second half after Chelsea manager Jose Morinho had brought on some 70 million pounds ($126.3 million) worth of substitutes.
The game was settled when last year’s footballer of the year Frank Lampard curled a free kick into the box from the right and the ball bounced off the on-rushing Drogba’s knee and crept inside Jens Lehmann’s near post.
Drogba could have rubbed salt into Arsenal’s wounds in the dying seconds of the match when Lampard again sent him free but he lobbed tamely into the arms of Lehmann.
Arsenal’s passing had looked slicker before the break, although they lacked any cutting edge and rarely threatened a Chelsea defense marshalled by immaculate skipper John Terry.
Their best chance came in the 77th minute when Thierry Henry forced Petr Cech to tip the ball wide of the Chelsea goal. The France striker also wasted two earlier opportunities when the score was still deadlocked.
Chelsea, the favorites to retain their crown, held out easily for their 39th consecutive match undefeated at home to join Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Charlton Athletic at the top on six points.
Earlier in the day Everton, who finished fourth last season, picked up their first points of the new campaign with a 1-0 victory at Bolton Wanderers thanks to a second half goal from Marcus Bent.
Veron Earns Inter Supercup Win Over Juventus
In Turin, Italy, Inter Milan won the Italian Supercup on Saturday with a 1-0 extra-time win over league champions Juventus at a rain-drenched Delle Alpi stadium.
Argentine Juan Sebastian Veron struck in the sixth minute of added time with a first-time drive after being set up by Brazilian Adriano. The Supercup, the curtain raiser to the Serie A season, pits last season’s Serie A champions against the Italian Cup winners.
There were few clear-cut chances in normal time but Juventus had an effort from French forward David Trezeguet harshly ruled out for offside on the stroke of half-time.
Alessandro Del Piero missed a great opportunity for Juve in the 72nd minute, firing wide from close range after Pavel Nedved had taken advantage of an error from Inter’s Argentine defender Walter Samuel. There was little to choose between the two teams in a competitive game that lacked real spark in attack.
Inter opted not to feature their biggest new arrival of the close season, former Real Madrid winger Luis Figo, but Juve did play their major purchase, French midfielder Patrick Vieira from Arsenal, who has recovered from a thigh injury.
Barca Win Super Cup Despite
Home Defeat by Betis
In Barcelona, league champions Barcelona claimed their first trophy of the new season despite losing 2-1 at home to an under-strength Real Betis in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Saturday.
The Catalans, who enjoyed a sparkling 3-0 win in the first leg in Seville last weekend, looked to be on course for another easy victory when African Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o put them ahead with an opportunist strike on 15 minutes. But King’s Cup winners Betis, who decided to field a shadow side ahead of next week’s Champions League qualifier against AS Monaco, shocked the home crowd when reserve striker Dani grabbed two goals in the space of five first-half minutes.
The rare home defeat took the shine off Barca’s sixth victory in the Super Cup.
Despite resting leading striker Ricardo Oliveira and influential winger Joaquin, Betis made a bright start with reserve strikers Dani and Xisco going close in the opening five minutes. Barca responded by stepping up the pace and last season’s leading scorer Eto’o pounced on an error by center-back Melli to open the scoring.
