Fulham more than matched their illustrious neighbours in a five-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge this evening and Chelsea can consider themselves fortunate to have snatched the bragging rights.
The Blues had taken just eight points from eight London derbies this season before this evening’s latest installment of a largely unheralded Hammersmith and Fulham rivalry – and Claudio Ranieri’s side looked set for another evening full of frustration – until Mikael Forssell stepped off the bench to fire home a late winner. There was plenty of controversy about the Finnish forward’s decisive strike, too, with television replays appearing to confirm Fulham’s contention that the young striker had controlled the ball with his arm before finishing past Edwin van der Sar.
Chelsea, who started proceedings tonight eleven points off the Champions’ League places, were twice pegged back by predatory finishes from Louis Saha as the hosts’ defensive frailties were on full display once again. Forssell’s late impact breathed new life into Ranieri’s pursuit of a top four place, but Fulham more than played their part in an opener encounter than had none of the caginess usually associated with tense tussles for local supremacy.
The returning Marcel Desailly, back after missing the weekend defeat at Charlton through a hamstring injury, showed why he is a centre half rather than a centre forward when he stabbed wide from close range after Eidur Gudjohnsen had elected to step over Graeme Le Saux’s low cross. They could have been punished for that miss when Steve Marlet rattled the crossbar with a firm header from Steed Malbranque’s corner.
Chelsea’s defence rode their luck all evening, but they looked dangerous almost every time they crossed the halfway line. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink should have fired them in front from a through ball from Mario Melchiot but the Dutchman drilled his shot into the side netting and then saw another effort well blocked by Alain Goma. The hosts did take the lead from the next attack as Melchiot bombed forward from right back to cut onto his left foot and beat Edwin van der Sar, although the Fulham goalkeeper was wrongfooted by a hefty deflection off the unfortunate Rufus Brevett.
But their lead lasted only sixty seconds. Chelsea were furious that William Gallas was penalised for a tackle that sent Louis Saha sprawling to the ground after he had reached a through ball from Sylvain Legwinski. Gallas protested that he won the ball, but referee Peter Jones was adamant that he had also taken out his compatriot with the challenge. Saha dusted himself down to send Carlo Cudicini the wrong way from the spot.
The home side poured forward in search of a response with van der Sar brilliantly denying Gianfranco Zola twice in quick succession. The visiting goalkeeper was helpless, however, when Chelsea restored their lead just before the half hour mark. Le Saux played Gudjohnsen into acres of space down the left flank and the Icelandic striker coolly sidefooted past van der Sar to score his nineteenth goal of an incredible campaign.
That setback only seemed to spur Fulham on. Tigana’s side played pretty, possession football throughout and came close to levelling quickly once again when Steed Malbranque’s volley was deflected past by the post by Gallas. The visitors were angry not to have been awarded a second spot-kick when Frank Lampard tripped Steve Marlet in the area and both Abdes Ouaddoh and Saha spurned great chances to level at the end of the first half.
Chelsea still looked a threat with Zola lurking in the spaces behind Gudjohnsen and Hasselbaink. The little Italian should have extended their lead early in the second half when he turned onto a smart Hasselbaink pass but his tame shot was easily gathered by van der Sar. Emmanuel Petit also shot straight at the Fulham goalkeeper, before the Whites came back into the contest. Saha came close with a curler from the edge of the box that was tipped away by Cudicini, but the French forward did equalise for a second time with seventeen minutes to play.
The intelligence of John Collins began a move that saw Marlet sprint into a dangerous position down Fulham’s left flank and measure a fine cross for Saha to head in after Gallas had tried to clear with an acrobatic bicycle kick. The Cottagers’ spirited resistance was only broken by a combination of Forssell’s chest, arm and right foot as he settled the SW6 derby with a sweeping finish from fellow substitute Jesper Gronkjaer’s ball with eight minutes remaining.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Cudicini; Babayaro, Desailly, Gallas; Melchiot, Le Saux, Petit (Dalla Bona 60), Lampard; Zola (Gronkjaer 65), Gudjohnsen (Forssell 74), Hasselbaink. Subs (not used): de Goey, Morris.
BOOKED: Dalla Bonna.
GOALS: Melchiot (18), Gudjohsen (29), Forssell (82).
FULHAM (4-4-2): van der Sar; Finnan, Brevett, Goma, Ouaddoh; Collins, Malbranque, Boa Morte (Hayles 71), Harley; Marlet, Saha. Subs (not used): Taylor, Melville, Knight, Goldbaek.
GOALS: Saha (pen 20, 73).
REFEREE: Peter Jones (Loughborough).
ATTENDANCE: 39,744.
