Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/373141
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 AUGUST 2014 Sport 49 49 SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Download the MaltaToday App now Costa scores twice in nine-goal thriller as Chelsea hammer Everton CHELSEA came out 6-3 to the good in a nine-goal thriller against Everton encapsulated in two fran- tic goalscoring spells in either half at Goodison Park. The visitors began with two goals in the first three minutes, but things unthinkably became even more chaotic after the break with five inside 11 minutes as both defences appeared to fall apart in the maelstrom. Bizarrely it could have been even worse for Everton, as goalkeeper Tim Howard could easily have been sent off for handling outside his area after just eight minutes. Conceding an early deficit ul- timately cost the hosts, as Jose Mourinho's side went top of the Premier League, somewhat ironi- cally after conceding three, on goal difference. It had looked plain sailing after Diego Costa made it three goals in three matches since his £32mil- lion move from Atletico Madrid and Branislav Ivanovic's disputed second. Kevin Mirallas' brilliant header on the stroke of half-time gave the hosts hope, only for Seamus Cole- man's own goal to hand the initia- tive back to Chelsea as the mad- ness began. Steven Naismith and Nemanja Matic traded goals before sub- stitute Samuel Eto'o made it 4-3 against the club he left in the summer, only for Ramires to give Chelsea breathing space again and Costa to add a late second. Up until Naismith's strike Chel- sea appeared to have everything under control, with Costa showing the new attacking edge which was lacking from Mourinho's side last season. It took just 35 seconds to dismiss fears over a suggested hamstring injury by scoring before Everton had even touched the ball from kick-off. There has been plenty of debate about some of the sums being spent by English clubs in the cur- rent window, but Costa is already looking value for money after scoring with his third shot on tar- get this season. The Brazilian-born Spain inter- national was a constant menace, lurking with intent on the shoulder of the last defender and regularly capitalising on Everton's inability to baff lingly play an offside trap which cost them two goals inside 170 seconds. But for all the 25-year-old's threat, he still needs someone to provide the ammunition and that person is currently Cesc Fabregas, who more often than not found his compatriot with unerring ac- curacy. The first goal game from exactly that source, as the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder thread- ed through a pass, catching the defence on their heels, for Costa to stride on to and dispatch past Howard. In doing so he became only the second Chelsea player to score in his first three Premier League ap- pearances for the club after Adri- an Mutu. More madcap defending saw last man Leighton Baines push out a fraction too slowly to make it ob- vious Ivanovic was offside - which he fractionally was - and the Ser- bian finished with the poise of a striker. Such was the disbelief around Goodison even the electronic scoreboard took a couple of min- utes to register the second goal, and Howard looked equally con- fused when he came clearly two yards outside his area to catch a through-ball before falling back inside the box. A red card then would have end- ed Everton's afternoon, but Sylvain Distin's goal disallowed for offside after he followed in Romelu Lu- kaku's header against the crossbar suggested there was still fight in Roberto Martinez's side. That materialised through Mi- rallas' glancing header from Cole- man's cross, which was the first time Everton had got around the back six Chelsea had employed since going ahead so early. Costa, put through again by Fa- bregras, was denied only by the outstretched leg of Howard be- fore Eden Hazard's cross from the byline was turned in by Coleman. But the game was far from over as a brilliant run by Lukaku took three defenders away with him to allow Aiden McGeady to pick out Naismith in space and make it 3-2. Matic's strike then def lected in off Jagielka before Eto'o, who signed a two-year deal in the week, headed in Baines' free-kick with- in six minutes of coming off the bench. Ramires' one-two with Matic provided Chelsea's crucial fifth and, after Mirallas volleyed against the post, Costa added his second in the 90th minute when substitute Muhamed Besic, mak- ing his debut, f luffed a backheel in the centre-circle which presented the Spain international with a run on goal. In other matches, Manchester City's perfect start to the new Bar- clays Premier League season was halted by a stunning individual goal from Mame Biram Diouf as Stoke claimed a shock 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium. Diouf ran from inside his own half and, as the City defence backed off, burst into the area be- fore embarrassing goalkeeper Joe Hart by shooting through his legs. The goal came in the 58th minute, and for all their subsequent pres- sure, Manuel Pellegrini's home side could not find an equaliser, allowing Stoke manager Mark Hughes to celebrate a memorable win over his former employers. City's neighbours United also drew a blank as Louis van Gaal's winless start to his reign contin- ued with a goalless draw against new boys Burnley at Turf Moor. Record signing Angel di Maria made his United debut but could not inspire an improved perform- ance from the struggling side, who have now taken just two points from their opening three games. Swansea, in contrast, maintained their 100 per cent record as a f lying start set them on their way to a 3-0 victory at home to West Brom. Nathan Dyer, whose goal beat Burnley last weekend, put Garry Monk 's side in front after only two minutes before a wonderfully acrobatic strike from the edge of the area from Wayne Routledge made it two midway through the first half. Dyer rounded off the win with his second in the 71st minute, finishing from Gylfi Sigurdsson's pass. Neil Warnock 's return to the manager's post at Crystal Palace got off to the ideal start against Newcastle and finished with a bang too as his side claimed a thrilling 3-3 draw. Dwight Gayle opened the scoring inside the first minute for Palace at St James' Park, but Darryl Jan- maat fired the Magpies level be- fore the break. Although Jason Puncheon, fined by the Football Association in March for launching a Twitter ti- rade against Warnock, restored the Eagles' lead three minutes af- ter the restart, Rolando Aarons made it 2-2 and Mike Williamson bundled home a third for the hosts with two minutes to go. But Wilfried Zaha, on loan from Manchester United, equalised five minutes into stoppage time to earn Palace a first point of the season. Wantaway midfielder Mor- gan Schneiderlin scored twice as Southampton came from behind to win 3-1 at West Ham and hand boss Ronald Koeman his first league win. Mark Noble put the hosts in front, but Schneiderlin, who is keen on a move to Tottenham, levelled on the stroke of half-time and completed the comeback in the 68th minute. Graziano Pelle made the points safe seven minutes from time. QPR picked up their first points of the campaign, Charlie Austin's goal on the stroke of half-time sealing a 1-0 win at home to Sun- derland. A review of Saturday's action in the Barclays Premier League Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Chelsea Angel Di Maria makes his debut for Manchester United