Defiant Stoke stymies Blues
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Shanghai Daily, August 15, 2011
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Stoke City's Kenwyne Jones (left) challenges Chelsea's Ashley Cole during their English Premier League match in Stoke yesterday. The game ended 0-0. |
Chelsea's bid to give new coach Andre Villas-Boas a winning start in his first English Premier League match was scuppered by some excellent goalkeeping as it drew 0-0 at Stoke City yesterday.
Following a muted first half, Chelsea picked up the pace after the break with John Obi Mikel, substitute Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou forcing Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to make some great saves.
Striker Fernando Torres was behind many of the Chelsea moves forward, playing with a confidence last seen in his best Liverpool days, but despite dominating the game last year's league runner-up could not find the back of the net.
As well as being denied by Begovic's acrobatics, in particular when he tipped Mikel's long-range volley over the bar and Anelka's curling shot against the woodwork, Chelsea was also left frustrated that its appeals for penalties kept falling on deaf ears.
Torres was brought down by Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross on the edge of the box early in the second half while midfielder Frank Lampard was caught on the shin by Marc Wilson but referee Mark Halsey did not point to the spot.
Stoke had its own penalty appeal dismissed in the first half after the ball brushed John Terry's arm but otherwise failed to produce much to trouble keeper Petr Cech.
Two of Chelsea's title rivals, Arsenal and Liverpool, have also already dropped points with Arsene Wenger's side, without Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, drawing 0-0 at Newcastle United on Saturday and Kenny Dalglish's men being held 1-1 at home to Sunderland.
Champion Manchester United was starting the defense of its title later in the day at West Bromwich Albion, while fellow trophy hopeful Manchester City kicks off its campaign at home to promoted Swansea City today.
