Atletico striker scores hat-trick as Blues slump to 1-4 defeat in Super Cup
European champions Chelsea crashed to a 4-1 Super Cup defeat to Atletico Madrid here on Friday night, with the Spanish side’s Colombian hotshot Radamel Falcao the star of the show at the Stade Louis II Stadium.
ADVERTISEMENT
Falcao’s first half hat-trick had Chelsea, featuring Atletico old boy Fernando Torres, reeling and Miranda’s second half offering compounded the misery for Roberto di Matteo’s men.
In the 7th minute, Falcao (26), known as El Tigre (the tiger), latching onto a long ball from Adrian Lopez, cheekily chipped over Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. On 19 minutes, he then curled one into the far corner from 15 yards out, out of reach of Cech’s outstretched hand. That was Falcao’s 41st goal from 53 appearances since joining Atletico from Porto, with goal number 42 coming on the stroke of half time.
On the counter attack from a corner at the far end Falcao rushed onto Arda Turan’s square pass across the penalty area to slot home clinically.
This was Falcao’s second hat-trick in as many matches having fired three past Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league. Defender Cahill got a 75th minute consolation goal for Chelsea.
EPL results
West Ham Utd 3-0 Fulham
Swansea City 2-2 Sunderland
Tottenham 1-1 Norwich City
West Brom 2-0 Everton
Wigan Athletic 2-2 Stoke City
Man City 3-1 Queens Park Rangersu00a0