London: Chelsea condemned Paolo Di Canio to a losing start as manager of relegation-threatened Sunderland, coming from behind to win 2-1 and rise to third in the Premier League on Sunday.
Cesar Azpilicueta's own goal on the stroke of half-time gave Di Canio the perfect start, but Sunderland collapsed after the break. The game's second own goal two minutes into the second half saw Matthew Kilgallon inadvertently hook the ball over the line after Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet had blocked Oscar's shot.
Branislav Ivanovic got Chelsea's winner in the 55th minute, flicking David Luiz's shot into the net and sending his team above Arsenal and Tottenham into third. Di Canio replaced Martin O'Neill last Sunday, provoking widespread outrage over past apparent fascist allegiances which he denounced Wednesday. It took the Italian three days to renounce previous comments and actions that indicated support for fascism after his appointment last Sunday prompted Sunderland vice chairman David Miliband, a former British Foreign Secretary, to quit in protest at the new manager's "past political statements."
After a turbulent week, Stamford Bridge afforded Di Canio a surprisingly tranquil introduction to Premier League management, with the former West Ham striker escaping any abuse as he spent most of the game standing on the touchline instructing his new team. The game started at a pace that reflected the fact this was Chelsea's fourth game in nine days, with the hosts laboring as the pursuit of success in the FA Cup and Europa League taking their toll on the squad.
While interim coach Rafa Benitez might be happier to end his contentious time at Chelsea next month with a trophy, the club's priority is a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. But it was Sunderland's survival hopes that looked like being the beneficiaries of this encounter when Chelsea gifted the visitors the lead.
Adam Johnson's corner was headed on by John O'Shea and Azpilicueta, when trying to clear, hooked the ball with his right foot past his own goalkeeper, Petr Cech. Chelsea striker Demba Ba, struggling with an injury, was replaced at half-time by Fernando Torres, who scored twice in the 3-1 victory over Rubin Kazan on Thursday in the Europa League quarter final first-leg.
Torres made an immediate impact after the break with a key role in the equaliser. The Spain striker charged down the left flank and squared to Oscar, whose shot was blocked by Simon Mignolet and the ball spun off Matthew Kilgallon's leg and drifted over the line where Danny Rose slipped. Chelsea's second was also slightly fortunate, with Ivanovic appearing to be unaware the ball was heading to him from Luiz when he turned the ball into the net.
The match was won, and Di Canio, for all his gesticulating from the sidelines, could do nothing to prevent Sunderland sliding to a sixth loss in eight games. Despite his only previous experience in the dugout being with third-tier English club Swindon, Di Canio was hired by Sunderland's American owner, Ellis Short, in a last-ditch attempt to keep the team in the topflight. Now Di Canio has just six more games to keep Sunderland out of the bottom three.
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