LONDON, 26 March 2006 — Champions Chelsea opened out a 14-point Premier League lead yesterday when two Didier Drogba goals gave them a comfortable, though controversial, 2-0 home win over Manchester City.
Chelsea dominated the game and Drogba scored after 30 and 33 minutes but City were fuming about the Frenchman’s second goal, which was scored with the aid of a handball. City defender Sylvain Distin earned a halftime red card for complaining about it.
Chelsea, beaten by Fulham last week, move to 78 points, 14 ahead of Liverpool who overcame an 18th-minute red card for captain Steven Gerrard to beat Everton 3-1 at Anfield.
Manchester United, third on 63 but with three games in hand on Liverpool, are at home to Birmingham City today. Tottenham Hotspur, at home to West Bromwich Albion tomorrow, are fourth on 52 but only on goal difference from Blackburn Rovers, who moved to fifth with a 1-0 win at bottom club Sunderland thanks to a 15th-minute Steven Reid goal. Arsenal, whose game at Portsmouth was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, drop to sixth.
In the day’s other games a last-minute goal by Nigel Reo-Coker gave West Ham United a 2-1 win at Wigan Athletic while Aston Villa drew 0-0 at home with Fulham. Liverpool produced a superb performance against an Everton team who arrived at Anfield in great form and must have had high hopes for a first win there since 1999 when Gerrard was sent off after a foul, following a booking for dissent 35 seconds earlier.
Ivanauskas Marks Hearts Debut With Victory
In Glasgow, Hearts earned a 2-1 win at Falkirk in caretaker manager Valdas Ivanauskas’ first game since replacing sacked Graham Rix in midweek.
Paul Hartley put Hearts ahead in the 22nd minute when he squeezed past the near post before Falkirk leveled on the stroke of half time when Alan Gow struck the ball home on his second attempt. Falkirk were handed a penalty after Czech Roman Bednar handled Gow’s free-kick. Keeper Craig Gordon parried Gow’s spot kick but he found the back of the net on the rebound. Lithuanian Edgar Jankauskas fired the late winner. Champions Rangers ground out a 1-0 win over Dunfermline and stay third with 56 points.
Bayern Continue Title March With 3-1 Win Over Duisburg
In Frankfurt, Bayern Munich stretched their Bundesliga lead to nine points with a 3-1 victory away to Duisburg on Saturday, as rivals Hamburg SV lost 4-2 at home to Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern were trailing 1-0 at halftime after Abdelaziz Ahanfouf struck from the penalty spot after 40 minutes but second-half goals from Hasan Salihamidzic, Roy Makaay and Claudio Pizarro clinched victory for the champions.
Hamburg recovered from Ebi Smolarek’s opener to take the lead with goals from Benjamin Lauth and Ailton but Tomas Rosicky’s double and a goal from Florian Kringe gave Dortmund the points. Werder Bremen moved back up into the third and final Champions League place on 53 points with a 5-0 win at home to Hanover 96, Nelson Valdez getting a hat trick. Schalke 04 slipped to fourth on 52 after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to VfL Wolfsburg.
