Torres nets winner as Chelsea finish third

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Chelsea 2 Everton 1

Fernando Torres scored the winner as Chelsea brought down the curtain on Rafael Benitez’s eventful time at the club by securing third place.

Juan Mata gave them an early lead before Everton, playing their final match under the Manchester United-bound David Moyes, hit back when Steven Naismith equalised following a mistake by David Luiz.

But Torres’ near-post finish with 14 minutes remaining – the striker’s first league goal since December – ensured Chelsea finished their season on a high.

They made the perfect start, going ahead after only seven minutes when Mata was on hand to tuck away the loose ball after keeper Tim Howard had failed to hold Demba Ba’s shot.

But Everton levelled when Luiz was dispossessed by Naismith, who laid the ball off to Victor Anichebe and then collected the forward’s return pass before firing past keeper Petr Cech.

And the visitors almost took the lead when Darron Gibson’s deflected shot struck the post and then nearly rebounded into the net off Cech’s shoulder.

Steven Pienaar also went close to putting Everton ahead, before Frank Lampard missed a chance for Chelsea, Gary Cahill had an effort saved by Howard and Branislav Ivanovic shot wide.

Had Ivanovic then been punished for a mistake midway through the second half, the Blues might have finished fourth and faced a Champions League qualifying round this summer.

Leighton Baines pounced following an error by the defender and crossed from the left towards an unmarked Nikica Jelavic, who was unable to hit the target.

It proved be a pivotal moment, because four minutes later Chelsea regained the lead when Torres fired home after being teed up by substitute Victor Moses’ clever knock-down.

Jelavic then missed another chance for Everton, and had an 86th-minute header saved by Cech.

It meant a winning end to Benitez’s spell as interim manager and there was a great send-off for Paulo Ferreira.

The full-back was given a rousing reception by the home fans after coming on as a substitute for the final couple of minutes – his last appearance after nine years at Chelsea.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole, Lampard, Ake, Torres, Mata (Azpilicueta 82), Oscar (Ferreira 88), Ba (Moses 66).
Subs not used: Turnbull, Marin, Benayoun, Christensen.

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