April 19 (UPI) — Chelsea beat Burnley FC 2-1 in a Premier League matchup featuring an own goal Thursday at Turf Moor in Burnley, England.
The Blues were the squad to benefit from the miscue.
Defender Gary Cahill sent a long pass toward the box, finding Victor Moses on the play. Moses managed to maintain control of the ball, while falling down, before sending a cross to his left. The ball went right in front of the goal, before Burnley defender Kevin Long tapped it in past keeper Nick Pope.
Neither squad could find the back of their foes’ net throughout the first half.
Burnley got on the board in the 64th minute, with a little more luck. Johann Berg Gudmundsson took control of a ball deep in Chelsea territory. He dribbled from right to left, nearing the Blues’ box. The midfielder then fired a shot from about 25 yards out. The rip cruised into the box, but was deflected off Ashley Barnes’ heel.
The ricochet popped into the far post netting past Thibaut Courtois, tying the game.
Moses put in the clincher for Chelsea five minutes later. Defender Emerson Palmieri sent in a cross from the left side on that play. Blues forward Olivier Giroud missed a bicycle kick and the ball dribbled to Moses on the right side of the box. Moses then ripped a shot into the near post netting, again beating Pope.
“Tonight I saw a great team spirit,” Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said, according to the team website. “It’s not simple to play against Burnley. If you give them a bit of space, they are ready to put these longs ball in and be dangerous with the second ball.”
“We forced them to play these long balls, but when they played them from their own half of the pitch, it’s less dangerous.”
“We showed great spirit. We didn’t show this spirit in the first half against Southampton. We were a disaster. But in the second half and today, we must be pleased. It’s a great pleasure to see my players with this commitment, desire and will to fight for the ball.”
Chelsea takes on Southampton in the semifinals of the FA Cup at 10 a.m. Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London. Burnley battles Stoke City at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at bet365 Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England.
“Not many teams in the Premier League will win five on the bounce and we’ve done that and that’s down to our hard work and resilience,” Barnes said, according to the Burnley website.
“We just keep going and we will go again on Sunday.”
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