Burnley scored a late equaliser against Chelsea as they played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in their English Premier League Matchday 11 clash to end their hosts’ seven-game winning run in all competitions.
Chelsea came into the match on top of the Premier League standings and on a roll, having won seven consecutive matches, keeping clean sheets in six of those. Burnley have endured a difficult start to the season that has them in the relegation zone, two points from safety.
Chelsea dominated from the first blast of the whistle as they knocked the ball about with ease, repeatedly ripping the Clarets’ backline to shreds. Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ross Barkley went close to scoring in the opening exchanges.
Chelsea eventually found the net after a brilliantly worked move shortly past the half-hour mark. N’Golo Kante picked up the ball and burst into the Burnley half of the pitch before sending a pass to the right-wing back Reece James, who delivered a terrific cross that was headed into the back of the net by Kai Havertz in the box in the 33rd minute.
Chelsea continued to dominate proceedings and had almost three-quarters of the ball possession, but found themselves face-to-face with an impenetrable wall that was Nick Pope, the Burnley goalkeeper. The England international kept out every Chelsea attack on his goal as Chelsea fashioned chance after chance in the second half.
In heartbreaking fashion for the Blues fans, they were finally pegged back through substitute striker Matej Vydra, who drew Burnley level with a brilliant piece of finishing.
On a rare Burnley foray forward, Matt Lowton managed to keep the ball and pass it to Ashley Westwood, whose first-time cross found the head of substitute striker Jay Rodriguez, who cushioned a header across the face of goal for fellow substitute Vydra to score in the 79th minute. It was the Czech striker’s first goal of the season, and was enough to earn Burnley a point for their troubles.
Chelsea remain on top of the Premier League table with a three-point cushion over second-place Manchester City and a four-point cushion over Liverpool in third. Burnley remain third from bottom with eight points from 11 matches this season. The Clarets will look to build on this draw after the international break and move away from the relegation battle.
