When: Wednesday April 18, 2013 (3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT)Where: Craven Cottage, LondonTV: Fox Soccer Channel (U.S.)Worldwide TV Streams and Channels: LiveSoccerTV.com link
Chelsea heads across town to the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to face 10th-place Fulham (10-10-12) in a game rescheduled because of the Blues participation in the FA Cup semifinals Sunday—which we shall not speak of to keep blood pressure levels low in the laboratory for this exercise, monsieur.
If form holds, the Blues and the Cottagers will play a low-scoring tie, as the last four meetings between these two clubs in all competitions have resulted in hard-fought draws (0-0, 1-1, 1-1 and 0-0).
And that doesn't bode well for Chelsea who needs to get three points in matches like this one to get to the promised land and the precious Champions League payday that comes with it.
Fulham has been led by Dimitar Berbatov (13 goals), and without the 32-year-old Bulgarian and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, the Cottagers (7-3-5 at home) would be in a world of hurt and possibly now even in the shadows of the relegation zone.
Psychologically, Fulham should have an edge here with nothing to lose and with the Blues coming off the aforementioned nightmare In Wembley and now trusting referees about as much as the Road Runner trusts Wile E. Coyote.
And with now third-place Arsenal (17-8-7, 59 points) hosting Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday (Fox Soccer Channel, 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT), Chelsea must do everything in its power to defeat Fulham here and start the march to the finish line off in the right manner.
The Cottagers will put up a fight—as they always do—but running on the fumes of bitterness and disappointment from the Manchester City match Sunday, expect the Blues and playmakers Juan Mata and Eden Hazard to find a way to win this one by a goal in the end.
Via: [Live -] Online - TV] Sun Hei SC - New Radiant SC - AFC Cup
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