Considering both sides were looking for three points, it was expected to be an open game at Stamford Bridge, and neither Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur disappointed as they immediately looked to get forward and create chances.
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Final score 2-2, Sigurdsson strikes to keep Spurs’ hopes alive
Tottenham Hotspur managed to fight back for a draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to keep the race for the Champions League spots going.
It was the home side who had the lead after ten minutes after Eden Hazard won a corner - the delivery was met with a glancing header by Gary Cahill, which was heading wide until Oscar escaped some lax marking from Scott Parker to divert it into the net at the back post and give Chelsea an early lead.
Spurs' seemed to be badly affected by the goal, and struggled to put any moves together thereafter. Scott Parker's carelessness in possession was almost punished by Torres, before Cesar Azpilicueta was given the freedom of the right flank to drill in a low cross for the unmarked Juan Mata, but Tottenham were fortunate to see his first-time effort go over the bar.
Tottenham were struggling to get forward, although looked fairly dangerous on the rare occasions when they did. Lewis Holtby went close with a low effort from the edge of the area with his left foot, but Cech appeared to have it covered as it rolled narrowly wide.
Chelsea were comfortably on top, and it was then that Spurs surprisingly struck against the run of play. A counter-attack following a Chelsea offensive appeared to break down in midfield, but after Holtby managed to hack the ball to Emmanuel Adebayor, the former Arsenal man marauded towards the Chelsea goal, guarded only by their flat backline. He had options right and left, and considering his form over the season, Spurs fans could have been forgiven for reacting with fury when he decided to go it alone, but he remarkably curled a brilliant effort into the far corner, over Petr Cech's reach, to stun the home fans into silence.
Tottenham seemed to be shook by the Chelsea goal, but had their heads up after the equaliser, immediately forcing some pressure on the Blues. Indeed, they were looking the likelier to score when the next goal came, but unfortunately for the visitors, it was once more against the run of play. Fernando Torres and Oscar worked the ball well before the former slid in Ramires for an excellent toe-poked early finish past Hugo Lloris and into the far corner.
After half-time, Spurs should have come out with a renewed sense of urgency, but they did anything but. The opening minutes of the second half were instead dominated by a flurry of chances for the hosts. First Oscar's cross to the back post missed Torres as he collided with Benoit Assou-Ekotto, before a cross from Azpilicueta almost drifted into the net. Oscar was then involved again to play in Eden Hazard, but the Belgian's shot after cutting inside was over the bar.
Spurs managed to regain themselves after those scares, and forced some pressure and a never-ending string of corners themselves, but struggled to make any of them count. As time wore on, it appeared their efforts would be for nothing, when Adebayor stepped into action once again. Collecting a pass from Assou-Ekotto, the Togolese forward produced a fine backheel to give Gylfi Sigurdsson a chance at goal, and he made no mistake, firing into the bottom corner of the goal to level the scores.
Tottenham were looking most likely to claim a winner, and had a decent opportunity when Gareth Bale was brought down outside the area in injury-time. The Welshman dusted himself off to take the free-kick himself, but although his effort was on target, it was too close to Cech to trouble the keeper and the game ended in a stalemate.
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