Forssell foils Fulham

Frank Lampard snaps in a tackle on Louis Saha

Chelsea 3-2 Fulham
E-mail your reaction to Football Talk

Substitute Mikael Forssell hit a late winner to settle a pulsating west London derby and keep Chelsea's Champions League qualification hopes alive.

Mario Melchiot gave Claudio Ranieri's side an early lead after just 18 minutes, only for Louis Saha to equalise from the penalty spot.

And Chelsea looked to have squandered more precious points when Saha popped up again on 73 minutes to cancel out Eidur Gudjohnsen's strike.

  Key moments

18 mins: Mario Melchiot's shot is deflected in

20 mins: Louis Saha equalises from the penalty spot

29 mins: Eidur Gudjohnsen slots home for 2-1

73 mins: Saha heads home his second

82 mins: Forssell hits Chelsea's winner

But Forssell scored his seventh goal in 12 substitute appearances to inflict Fulham's fourth straight defeat.

The win will give Chelsea a major confidence boost before their FA Cup quarter-final clash at Tottenham on Sunday.

Chelsea welcomed back club captain Marcel Desailly, who resumed his duties in defence after shaking off a hamstring injury.

Fulham had not won at Stamford Bridge in the top flight for 38 years but almost made a dream start after just six minutes.

It was a very important win

Claudio Ranieri
Chelsea manager

Steed Malbranque whipped in a cross from the right and striker Steve Marlet's header cannoned back off the crossbar.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink shot into the side-netting at the other end before the game sparked into life with two goals in as many minutes.

First Melchiot took a pass from Frank Lampard before charging forward to fire in a left-foot shot which deflected off Rufus Brevett and past Edwin van der Sar.

Melchiot celebrates his opener for Chelsea

But the Chelsea fans had a matter of seconds to celebrate before Saha went down in the penalty area under a challenge from William Gallas.

Saha duly dusted himself down and sent Carlo Cudicini the wrong way from the spot.

The chances continued to come thick and fast and Van der Sar produced a brilliant diving save to deny Gianfranco Zola before Gudjohnsen struck Chelsea's second on 29 minutes.

Zola threaded the ball between two defenders and Gudjohnsen ran through to side-foot home.

We had many chances, but I am used to us missing

Jean Tigana
Fulham manager

Fulham should have gone into the break on level terms but Abdeslam Ouaddou and Saha both wasted glorious chances

Van der Sar kept Fulham in it after the break by sliding in to deny Gudjohnsen.

Jean Tigana's side again came close to grabbing an equaliser when Luis Boa Morte's shot deflected just wide.

Saha looked to have stolen a point when he headed home Marlet's cross - before Forssell controlled Jesper Gronkjaer's cross on his chest to sweep home the winner for Chelsea.

---

Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Babayaro, Desailly, Gallas, Le Saux, Lampard, Petit (Dalla Bona 60), Zola (Gronkjaer 65), Gudjohnsen (Forssell 74), Hasselbaink. Subs not used: De Goey, Morris.

Booked: Dalla Bona.

Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Brevett, Goma, Ouaddou, Harley, Collins, Malbranque, Boa Morte (Hayles 71), Marlet, Saha. Subs not used: Taylor, Melville, Knight, Goldbaek.

Attendance: 39,744.

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).