West Ham United suffered a 4-1 defeat at home by Premiership champions Chelsea tonight after a bright start to the first half.
With less than five minutes gone, Bobby Zamora took hold of the ball in midfield and charged towards the Chelsea goal. He played the ball out to Carlos Tevez on the edge of the penalty area and the Argentine held up play until Yossi Benayoun came charging forward on the right. Benayoun's cross found Zamora in space in the box but it travelled just too high for the striker to make contact.
Hammers burst forward again; this time Tevez tested Petr Cech with a dangerous ball across goal, forcing the keeper to palm it clear. James Collins directed a header just above the target from Benayoun's corner in the 9th minute.
But Chelsea were constantly dangerous. Mark Noble lost possession just outside the visitors' penalty area and the Blues broke, with Frank Lampard playing the ball out to Ricardo Carvalho whose effort was chested down by Lucas Neill only as far as Salomon Kalou, but the striker's toe poke was kept out by Rob Green. The ball then rebounded to Drogba whose low shot was again stopped by the keeper and Jonathan Spector was on hand to clear.
Lassana Diarra picked up a caution in the 19th minute for a foul on Tevez, who had latched onto the end of a long ball from Zamora. Tevez whipped in the free-kick but John Terry booted it clear.
Hammers had a penalty claim dismissed just under half an hour into the game as Collins headed down in the box and the ball appeared to hit Drogba on the hand. Tevez then forced Cech into stretching to scoop out his powerful shot, which looked to be heading for the top corner.
But in the 30th minute Chelsea took the lead with a excellent goal from Shaun Wright-Phillips. The diminutive winger tucked inside two defenders and fired low into the far right corner of the goal.
Tevez answered back with an equally impressive strike less than five minutes later as he scored a 20-yard pile-driver to equalise. But Chelsea came straight back from the kick-off to take the lead with another strike from Wright-Phillips, who turned in a cross from Wayne Bridge.
Hammers immediately went for the equaliser again as Spector curled in a cross for Collins to head towards goal but Cech produced a diving save on the goal line. Benayoun might have equalised just before half-time after Tevez took Cech out of play with an aerial challenge, leaving the goal clear for the Israel midfielder to shoot. But he opted for a cross and the ball drifted out of play.
Hammers carved out a goalscoring chance straight from kick-off in the second half but Boa Morte's flick travelled just wide of the mark. Moments later Tevez found Zamora at the far post with a curling cross but Zamora couldn't get enough pace on his effort to test Cech.
Chelsea went 3-1 ahead in the 51st minute as Drogba's effort was saved by Green on the line but Kalou bundled the rebound into the net. Drogba was booked for his exuberant celebrations. The visitors were 4-1 up just over ten minutes later after a slip in the box by Neill allowed Drogba to slot the ball past Green.
The two second-half goals killed the game and it petered to a close. But the result wasn't enough to silence the Hammers fans, who sang their hearts out way beyond the final whistle.
West Ham United: Green; Spector, Neill, Collins, McCartney; Reo-Coker (c) (Mullins, 75), Noble, Benayoun; Boa Morte, Tevez (Kepa, 83), Zamora (C Cole, 73).
Subs not used: Carroll, Davenport.
Chelsea: Cech; Diarra (Ferreira, 46), Carvalho, Terry (c), Bridge; Mikel, Essien, Lampard (Ballack, 77), Wright-Phillips; Kalou, Drogba (J Cole, 66).
Subs not used: Cudicini, Makelele.
With less than five minutes gone, Bobby Zamora took hold of the ball in midfield and charged towards the Chelsea goal. He played the ball out to Carlos Tevez on the edge of the penalty area and the Argentine held up play until Yossi Benayoun came charging forward on the right. Benayoun's cross found Zamora in space in the box but it travelled just too high for the striker to make contact.
Hammers burst forward again; this time Tevez tested Petr Cech with a dangerous ball across goal, forcing the keeper to palm it clear. James Collins directed a header just above the target from Benayoun's corner in the 9th minute.
But Chelsea were constantly dangerous. Mark Noble lost possession just outside the visitors' penalty area and the Blues broke, with Frank Lampard playing the ball out to Ricardo Carvalho whose effort was chested down by Lucas Neill only as far as Salomon Kalou, but the striker's toe poke was kept out by Rob Green. The ball then rebounded to Drogba whose low shot was again stopped by the keeper and Jonathan Spector was on hand to clear.
Lassana Diarra picked up a caution in the 19th minute for a foul on Tevez, who had latched onto the end of a long ball from Zamora. Tevez whipped in the free-kick but John Terry booted it clear.
Hammers had a penalty claim dismissed just under half an hour into the game as Collins headed down in the box and the ball appeared to hit Drogba on the hand. Tevez then forced Cech into stretching to scoop out his powerful shot, which looked to be heading for the top corner.
But in the 30th minute Chelsea took the lead with a excellent goal from Shaun Wright-Phillips. The diminutive winger tucked inside two defenders and fired low into the far right corner of the goal.
Tevez answered back with an equally impressive strike less than five minutes later as he scored a 20-yard pile-driver to equalise. But Chelsea came straight back from the kick-off to take the lead with another strike from Wright-Phillips, who turned in a cross from Wayne Bridge.
Hammers immediately went for the equaliser again as Spector curled in a cross for Collins to head towards goal but Cech produced a diving save on the goal line. Benayoun might have equalised just before half-time after Tevez took Cech out of play with an aerial challenge, leaving the goal clear for the Israel midfielder to shoot. But he opted for a cross and the ball drifted out of play.
Hammers carved out a goalscoring chance straight from kick-off in the second half but Boa Morte's flick travelled just wide of the mark. Moments later Tevez found Zamora at the far post with a curling cross but Zamora couldn't get enough pace on his effort to test Cech.
Chelsea went 3-1 ahead in the 51st minute as Drogba's effort was saved by Green on the line but Kalou bundled the rebound into the net. Drogba was booked for his exuberant celebrations. The visitors were 4-1 up just over ten minutes later after a slip in the box by Neill allowed Drogba to slot the ball past Green.
The two second-half goals killed the game and it petered to a close. But the result wasn't enough to silence the Hammers fans, who sang their hearts out way beyond the final whistle.
West Ham United: Green; Spector, Neill, Collins, McCartney; Reo-Coker (c) (Mullins, 75), Noble, Benayoun; Boa Morte, Tevez (Kepa, 83), Zamora (C Cole, 73).
Subs not used: Carroll, Davenport.
Chelsea: Cech; Diarra (Ferreira, 46), Carvalho, Terry (c), Bridge; Mikel, Essien, Lampard (Ballack, 77), Wright-Phillips; Kalou, Drogba (J Cole, 66).
Subs not used: Cudicini, Makelele.