Enzo Maresca on Monday hailed Chelsea’s mental strength as they came from behind to beat West Ham United 2-1 and move into fourth place in the English Premier League.
Maresca’s side trailed to Jarrod Bowen’s strike late in the first half at Stamford Bridge, sparking jeers from frustrated fans after a lethargic start, but Maresca’s decision to send on Pedro Neto in the second half proved decisive as the Portugal forward bagged Chelsea’s equalizer.
As he has been so often over the past two seasons, Cole Palmer was the catalyst for the Blues’ 74th-minute winner when his cross deflected in off West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Photo: AFP
After a disappointing run of one win in seven league games, Maresca was relieved to see Chelsea get back on track in spirited fashion.
“It is huge. Today was a tough game, especially mentally. When West Ham come here and sit back with 10 players behind the ball, it’s not easy. You have to be mentally strong and you need to be patient,” Maresca said. “We had more than 10 shots in the first half. We had clear chances in the first half, but unfortunately we missed the target. With some changes the game changed. Overall, we completely deserved to win.”
Maresca had been concerned that his players were distracted by speculation over potential transfers in and out of Stamford Bridge leading up to Monday’s transfer deadline day.
Relieved that the window is now closed, the Italian can focus on leading Chelsea’s fight to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League via a top-four finish.
“It was a good weekend for us in terms of results and we knew today was even better,” he said. “We are there and hopefully we can be there until the end. Playing this kind of game in February, where we are still there, is an important statement.”
Maresca had dropped Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after his latest costly error in the defeat at Manchester City.
Sanchez’s replacement Filip Jorgensen delivered a solid display and Maresca said: “In this moment, Robert needs rest and Filip was very good.”
It was a frustrating return to the Bridge for West Ham head coach Graham Potter, who was sacked in 2023 after less than seven months in charge of the Blues.
Almost two years after his ruthless dismissal, Potter returned with the Irons last month, but he has mustered just one win from his first five games in all competitions.
“We gave everything. It was relatively even in terms of chances. We come away with nothing in terms of the result, but there was lots to be positive about,” Potter said. “You look at the second half. The first goal was a bit of a turning point and we felt it was a foul, you need those things to go your way. We were doing well, but we couldn’t quite hang on.”
Potter was frustrated that a potential Levi Colwill foul on Bowen was not given in the buildup to Chelsea’s equalizer, but with West Ham sitting 10 points clear of the relegation zone, the former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach has breathing space to reshape the team in his style.
“The shape of the team was really good. You need a bit of luck. We felt unfortunate with the lead-up to the first goal, but it wasn’t to be,” he said. “The understanding of what we want to do is there, so we have to build on that.”
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38