Chelsea won their first trophy of the season with a 2-0 win over Tottenham in Sunday night’s League Cup final at Wembley. Goals from John Terry and an own goal forced by Diego Costa led a sluggish Blues side to a win in the wind and rain in a match that for long stretches boasted a lot of huff and puff but little fluency.
The result also continued a string of futility for Tottenham, who were eliminated from the Europa League by Fiorentina this week, and have slumped badly in the Premier League chase this season as well. Spurs last raised a piece of silverware back in 2008, in this very tournament, and on the evidence will now wait at least another season before lifting a trophy again.
Jose Mourinho stirred the pot (as he is wont to do) before a ball was even kicked in London for this most uncommon derby, claiming that Spurs had approached him to be their manager. One can see why after today’s result – and the gulf in experience and class on display here at Wembley. For good teams find ways to win even when they don’t play very well, and that was the case for the Blues today, winners despite not looking much like champions.
That didn't stop Mourinho from heaping praise on his players, however. "We took the competition seriously. Everyone was fantastic in this run," the Portuguese said.
Chelsea came into the game knowing that their rivals for the Premier League title, Manchester City, had dropped three points at Anfield, and also had to be considered the favorites against a young, somewhat rough-edged Tottenham side. But if Chelsea were brimming with confidence, they didn’t much show it, with long stretches of the game conceded to Spurs, and little of the slick passing they can be capable of.
The game plan was simple: contain Christian Eriksen, stifle Harry Kane and press on the counter. Early on, however, Spurs looked to flip the script, with Eriksen lining up a great free kick that had keeper Petr Cech beat, only to come back off the bar.
Kane and Costa traded blows at opposite ends, with the young England star showing his heels to Gary Cahill before uncorking a low shot that was well-gathered; before at the other end, Costa found Eden Hazard for a fizzing strike that just went wide of the net.
Costa’s feistiness threatened to boil the game over when a cheap little slap at Nabil Bentaleb drew reproach from Ryan Mason, but with the game threatening to get out of hand, Chelsea made their quality count.
To be fair, theirs was a somewhat undeserved lead at the death of the first half, and it followed an unusual series of events. Tottenham’s Kyle Walker went down with what appeared to be a calf injury, but Spurs declined to substitute him off, perhaps thinking he could run it off. With Walker moving gingerly, Nacer Chadli then conceded a cheap free kick out wide on the near side after a tussle with Branislav Ivanovic. Willian whipped in the ball, it took a hop off Danny Rose’s head and then fell to Terry, wide open, to punch the ball home past Hugo Lloris. The man who was supposed to be marking him? Walker.
"The pressure was there before the game, obviously, but that's what cup finals do to you," Terry said. "I thought we played very well, handled the game very well and delighted with the win."
Cahill nearly added a second as Spurs, looking rattled, went to sleep on another set piece, and only a fine save from Lloris preserved the scoreline.
Walker would come back at the start of the second half, and would again be caught out on a play that called into question manager Mauricio Pochettino’s decision-making.
"It's hard but we have to look forward," Pochettino said.
Cesc Fabregas collected the ball and skipped through traffic to release Costa wide on the near side. With a drop of the shoulder, Costa fired a fierce shot to the near post that caromed off Walker’s outstretched foot and in. Walker would ultimately be credited with the own goal, and that would effectively end the match.
Spurs fought hard, but had little response after going behind. Chelsea, as so often has been the case under Mourinho, were able to absorb whatever pressure was thrown at them, and simply kill the game off.
Tottenham will have many regrets. The decision to leave on Walker was deadly; their failure to use the full width of the field was curious. Spurs also look half a side when Kane cannot be fully involved; today Chelsea did a fine stifling him and came away with a just reward.
FOXSoccer.com's wire services contributed to this report
