The hosts went behind to a rare Claude Makelele goal, before roaring back with efforts from Michael Dawson and Aaron Lennon. The England captain was shown a second yellow card in the 72nd minute after tangling with Didier Zokora in a pulsating match that saw nine bookings.
The result ended a horrendous run since Spurs last won at home against Chelsea in the league - match-winner Lennon was just four months old when it happened. Despite their woeful record against Chelsea, the White Hart Lane faithful were in tremendous voice throughout, and refused to quieten down when Spurs were a goal down and on the rack.
After a competitive opening the game burst into life when a corner was half cleared and Makelele arrived, 25 yards out, to volley his second Chelsea goal brilliantly into the left corner. Spurs could be forgiven if they were punch-drunk, and in the next couple of minutes the visitors should have delivered a knockout blow.
Frank Lampard was presented with a glorious chance to double the lead, which he fired straight at Paul Robinson, then Didier Drogba saw a headed goal disallowed. Having been let off the hook, Spurs levelled out of nothing as Dawson angled an excellent glancing header past Hilario from a 25th-minute Jermaine Jenas free-kick.
Seven minutes before the break the home side should have gone in front, when Lennon left his England colleague Ashley Cole in his wake and crossed onto the head of Robbie Keane, who sent his free header over. It was about the only thing the Irishman did wrong all afternoon, as he terrorised Paulo Ferreira on the Spurs left.
Ferreira was replaced at the break by Khalid Boulahrouz, who fared even worse. He was left for dead by Keane on 52 minutes, allowing the 26-year-old to cross for Lennon, who controlled superbly and beat Hilario with a controlled left-foot shot. Boulahrouz was quickly taken off himself, with Salomon Kalou coming on in his stead.
Soon after, Keane presented Dimitar Berbatov with a fine chance after nicking the ball off a defender, but the Bulgarian could not prod into a virtually empty net. Chelsea did not really react until after they were reduced to ten men.
Kalou stung Robinsons hands from the edge of the box before Lampard squandered another good chance, this time firing over from close range. Arjen Robben came closest of all, pinging the ball against the left-hand upright in the dying minutes, but Spurs were not to be denied a historic win. |
