Ten-man Chelsea denied by stoppage-time Burnley equaliser
Chelsea 1Joao Pedro (4′)
Burnley 1Flemming (90’+3)
Burnley stunned 10-man Chelsea with an injury-time equaliser as Liam Rosenior’s side dropped two important points in the race for a top-four finish.
Zian Flemming nodded in a free header at the death, after Wesley Fofana had been sent off.
Chelsea’s breakthrough came after just four minutes, when Moises Caicedo played a fantastic through ball into the path of Pedro Neto, who squared for Joao Pedro to tap in.
The hosts went on to control much of the first half, with 75% possession in the opening 30 minutes, but created few chances after Pedro’s early goal.
Reece James looped several dangerous crosses into the Burnley box, and Cole Palmer also failed to capitalise on a mistake from Kyle Walker that left him one-on-one with Martin Dubravka.
Chelsea came out strong for the second half, and had an early penalty shout turned away by referee Lewis Smith, when Joe Worrall put in a strong, but fair, last-ditch challenge on Palmer.
But the Blues went down to 10 men with 20 minutes to play, when Fofana picked up his second yellow card for a late and reckless challenge on substitute James Ward-Prowse.#
Chelsea sat back late on, and absorbed plenty of pressure from a Burnley side that had struggled in front of goal all afternoon.
Flemming, though, conjured the equaliser when the hosts fell asleep at a corner deep in injury time.
Substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen then headed over from a similar area, as the visitors looked to steal a win.
Chelsea: Sanchez; James (Acheampong 87), Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto (Hato 79); Caicedo, Santos; Neto (Sarr 87), Palmer (Tosin 73), Fernandez; Pedro (Delap 79).
Subs not used: Slonina, Lavia, Garnacho, Guiu.
