Chelsea Gets the Free Three at Fulham, Edge Closer to Top Four

Do you believe in miracles?

Then go watch a documentary on USA Hockey's upset of the century ... the 20th century.

The Premiership's best offering since 2000 has got to be Leicester City coming out of nowhere to snag the title in 2016.

This match, though, wasn't gonna be like those.

 

Fulham is so mired in the Premiership's drop zone, they've gotta pipe in daylight to Craven Cottage.

Chelsea, of course, is creeping into the picture for a spot in Europe next season, so the only tension in this match was whether they'd keep from from doing a Chelsea and losing points they have to have.

 

Exactly. The Blues claimed everything in sight by virtue of their 1-2 triumph.

In their shortest road trip of the season -- the Cottage is only 1½ miles away from Stamford Bridge -- Chelsea capitalized on their hosts' desperation.

In the 20th minute, Gonzalo Higuaín broke through, finishing from a spiffy César Azpilicueta right-wing cross:

 

Fulham leveled things up in the 27th through Calum Chambers.

In a short corner from the right, Ryan Babel's cross found the unmarked Chambers, who drove home past the recalled Kepa Arrizabalaga:

 

However, the hosts' joy didn't last long.

Three minutes later, Eden Hazard drove forward, and when everyone thought he would launch a laser, he rolled it to Jorginho, who curled his shot into the top corner from the box's edge:

 

 

Frankly, that was that.

• The second half was scoreless,
• the Cottagers expected nothing from this match and got it, and
• the Blues found themselves a mere two points from Manchester United for fourth in the league.

They then made the tony nine-minute drive back to the Bridge.