Alonso’s brilliant goal gives Chelsea victory
Chelsea 1 Southampton 0
Marcos Alonso’s brilliant goal gave Chelsea victory at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso scored with a 30-yard free-kick in the final seconds of the first half, superbly bending the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
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The breakthrough came shortly after Pedro went close for the Blues when he burst in from the left and fired against the near post.
After coming on as a substitute, former QPR striker Charlie Austin was twice denied an equaliser by Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois after being through on goal, first by Pierre-Emile Hojberg and then by Sofiane Boufal.
But Chelsea were largely comfortable and Southampton keeper Fraser Foster produced a number of saves, including when he kept out Alonso’s right-foot volley.
Forster also stopped a shot from Alvaro Morata soon after the Spaniard had come on for Eden Hazard.
Chelsea again started without an out-and-out striker, with Hazard leading their attack until Morata’s introduction.
Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Moses (Zappacosta 82), Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso; Willian, Hazard (Morata 73), Pedro (Fabregas 68).
Subs not used: Caballero, Rudiger, Drinkwater, Batshuayi.
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