The crowd of 37,406 was a decent turnout given the ticket price (£20 adults, £10 bairns), proximity to Xmas, live TV transmission and baring in mind we’ve got 3 home games in a week.
We held our own until the 79th min when Solano and Butt both tried to upend Robben on the left edge of our box - the latter succeeding at the expense of a free-kick. However, the referee crucially allowed the visitors to move the ball three or four yards to the right, giving Drogba a greater angle to curl the ball around the wall. Although Shay Given got a good hand to it he couldn't prevent it finding the far corner of the Leazes End net. 0-1.
Roeder commented afterwards: "I don't think we were just holding them though, we were doing more than that. I thought we took the game to them with some fantastic passages of play, so it is a shame we did not finish them off with a goal or two. Although it was a great goal - it was a fantastic strike - you do not beat Shay Given very easily. But if it is taken from where it should be taken, I do not believe Drogba can beat Shay Given. I'm disappointed in the referee, whose job it is to make sure the kick is taken from the correct place." |
Emre,
D.Drogba 79.