A victory against The Blues
Bradford City 2-0 Chelsea – Premier League
Tuesday 22nd August 2000
Valley Parade
A goal in each half from Dean Windass and Benito Carbone, his first for the club on his first start, gave The Bantams their first points of the 2000-01 season following a narrow defeat to Liverpool at Anfield just a few days earlier.
City looked good value for the points against a side who would eventually miss out on qualification for the Champions League, something that’s unheard of in the modern era when Chelsea are spoken about.
Gianluca Vialli’s side who had been heavily criticised in the recent months for coming up short against the lesser teams, thus halting their European ambitions, were outfought and outplayed by Chris Hutchings’ men – the new City manager said after the game: ‘The result doesn’t shock me. That’s why we brought these players in, but I won’t get carried away. Carbone is a quality player. There has been a lot of fuss – all he wants to do is play.’
Stuart McCall and club record signing David Hopkin were excellent throughout and gave Chelsea’s midfield no breathing space and no time to get into their rhythm and going forward, Lee Sharpe, Dean Windass and Benito Carbone looked a constant threat to The Blues’ defensive ranks.
Gus Poyet and David Hopkin had early chances for their respective teams early on and the Uruguayan midfielder couldn’t quite meet a dangerous cross into the area by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink with the goal gaping.
Shortly after this opportunity for the visitors, City took the lead. Stuart McCall picked out Lee Sharpe on the left hand side with space to cross and the former Manchester United man delivered a cross to the far post where Dean Windass was on hand to head the ball into the back of the net past Ed de Goey.
The introduction of Tore Andre Flo and Christian Panucci from the substitute’s bench gave the Londoners a new threat going forward and both had significant chances early in the second half as Vialli’s men looked for that elusive equalising goal.
Gianfranco Zola missed Chelsea’s golden opportunity to get that goal when he shot straight at Matt Clarke after being set-up well by Tore Andre Flo. Italian compatriot Benito Carbone made sure of the points for his new club with 15 minutes to go, as he hit a fantastic shot towards goal from the edge of the area that Ed de Goey got something on, but the Dutchman could only push the ball into his own net.
Teams:
Bradford:
Clarke, Nolan, McCall, Wetherall, Carbone, O’Brien, Windass, Sharpe, Atherton, Petrescu, Hopkin
Substitutes
Myers, Whalley, Ward, Beagrie, Davison
Chelsea:
De Goey, Babayaro, Desailly, Poyet, Hasselbaink, Wise, Melchiot, Di Matteo, Morris, Zola, Thome
Substitutes
Panucci, Flo, Gudjohnsen, Cudicini, Harley
Referee:M. Halsey (Welwyn Garden City)