Reuters
London, Sept 12: Diego Costa scored twice but could not prevent Chelsea losing their 100 per cent Premier League record Sunday in a controversial 2-2 draw at Swansea. The result left Manchester City two points clear of them at the top of the table.
The fiery Spain striker scored in the 17th minute as Antonio Conte’s team took control of the game before conceding twice in quick succession.
In the 59th minute goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois gave away a penalty by fouling Gylfi Sigurdsson after a Swansea counter-attack and the Iceland international got up to convert it. Then Gary Cahill was dispossessed by Leroy Fer and apparently fouled, but Fer was allowed to go on and score.
Nine minutes from the end Costa, who also received his third yellow card in four games equalised with an overhead scissors kick that might have been penalised for dangerous play.
It all added up to one of the most dramatic Premier League games of the season so far, which Chelsea, who had 28 attempts on goal, dominated for almost an hour.
They should have been further ahead at the interval. Lukasz Fabianski made saves from Willian, Eden Hazard and Cesar Azpilicueta, before Costa was guilty of an extraordinary miss.
As John Terry flicked on a corner the Spanish international was unmarked two metres from goal but directed the ball wide.
Fortunately for the Londoners, Costa had been sharper earlier on, guiding the ball perfectly just inside a post as Oscar laid it square to him.
Conte felt Swansea’s second goal should not have been allowed because of Fer’s challenge on Cahill. “I think everyone can see it was a bad decision,” he told ‘Sky Sports’.
