Title closer after Chelsea beat Leicester

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Leicester City 1 Chelsea 3

Didier Drogba, John Terry and Ramires scored second-half goals as Chelsea moved to within one more win of the Premier League title with a stirring comeback. 

The Blues, who will be crowned champions if they win at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, were second best before the break and trailed to Marc Albrighton’s goal in first-half injury time.

However, Drogba converted a Branislav Ivanovic cross within three minutes of the restart to make it 1-1 and a close-range Terry effort and a stunning strike by Ramires sealed victory.

It was a win that also boosted relegation-threatened QPR, who remain only four points below the Foxes with both sides having four games to play.

That gap looked like being greater after a below-par first period in which Leicester settled first and were sharper in the midfield battle.

Vardy’s pace caused problems to Chelsea’s back four from the start and Vardy’s fellow striker Leo Ulloa then miscontrolled when he would have been through on goal.

But Chelsea then began to threaten, mainly through the pace of Willian and Eden Hazard.

The pair combined to tee up Drogba, who shot well wide, while Cesc Fabregas opted to cross rather than shoot after more fine work by Hazard.

But it was Leicester who were the more dangerous, and after Petr Cech saved from Paul Konchesky, City went ahead when Albrighton calmly shot home.

Drogba, starting because Diego Costa was still not deemed fit enough, had been dreadful in the first half, misplacing passes, struggling in possession and shooting wide with the best chance the Blues created.

But he made an immediate impact on the resumption, turning in the equaliser after Ivanovic powered his way through on the right and pulled the ball back.

Drogba should have had a second moments later but fired hopelessly over the bar and then the Ivorian went close with a decent low strike after another impressive counter-attack.

But with Chelsea now completely dominant, the second away goal arrived from a corner when Terry knocked the ball in from close range after Gary Cahill’s header was saved by keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

And as the near 3400 away fans sang “boring boring Chelsea” to mock those who criticised following the hard-fought draw at Arsenal, Ramires scored a classy third, side-footing home on the run from a Fabregas pass.

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian (Zouma 84), Fabregas (Mikel 90), Hazard (Cuadrado 88); Drogba.
Subs not used: Courtois, Filipe Luis, Ake, Oscar.

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