Cesc Fabregas netted an 89th-minute penalty as Chelsea twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with West Ham United at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
It appeared that Andy Carroll's 61st-minute strike was sending the Hammers into fourth position in the table following a pulsating London derby, but Fabregas completed his brace from the penalty spot one minute from time to deny the visitors a famous win and continue their unbeaten league run under Guus Hiddink.
John Terry returned to the Chelsea XI in London after coming off the bench against Everton in the FA Cup last weekend, but there was no place for Spanish striker Diego Costa, who missed out through suspension.
Costa's spot in the final third went to Loic Remy, while Oscar and Kenedy were also given roles due to the absence of Eden Hazard and Pedro, although the latter was included on the bench.
As for West Ham, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho returned to the final third in place of Carroll and Emmanuel Emenike, while James Tomkins's continued absence meant another spot at right-back for in-form Michail Antonio.
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The first shot on target came from Chelsea in the ninth minute when Remy found space inside the West Ham box, but the French striker could not beat Adrian at his near post.
It was the visitors that made the breakthrough in the 17th minute, however, when on-loan attacker Manuel Lanzini picked out the top corner after Valencia and Sakho had both won their aerial battles with the Chelsea defence.
Branislav Ivanovic angled a header towards the West Ham goal in the 22nd minute as the hosts looked to respond, but they were second best against the Hammers, who looked full of ideas all over the park.
Dimitri Payet struck a volley wide of the post before setting up Sakho in the 24th minute, but Chelsea managed to escape what would have been a very damaging second goal mid-way through the opening period.
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A pass from Fabregas set up Remy once again in the 30th minute, but the Frenchman could not head past Adrian, before Aaron Cresswell had a low effort deflected wide of Thibaut Courtois's post moments later.
Willian lined up a trademark free kick five minutes before the break as Chelsea continued to press for an equaliser, but the Brazilian's effort was always moving wide of the post.
Willian stood aside from the next free kick in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, however, allowing Fabregas to bend an effort into the far corner and see the two teams enter the interval on level terms in the capital.
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The first chance of the second period fell to Oscar in the 50th minute, but the Brazilian could only turn an Ivanovic cross wide of the post from close range, before Adrian kept out a header from Terry.
A rare second-half counter for West Ham almost saw the visitors regain the lead just before the hour, but Cresswell's effort from a wide angle hit the underside of the crossbar before Chelsea managed to clear their lines.
Carroll, less than two minutes after his introduction, had a second for West Ham, however, as the England international collected a through-pass from Payet and fired past Courtois in the 61st minute.
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Eleven minutes later, Chelsea had a golden chance to equalise when Fabregas met a corner from Willian, but the Spaniard somehow cleared the crossbar from close range as it remained 2-1 West Ham with 15 minutes left.
Fabregas again came close in the 75th minute after Adrian had kept out a close-range strike from Oscar, but the former Barcelona midfielder missed the target once again.
Terry then came close from a Willian corner, only to follow suit and head over Adrian's goal. Down the other end, Carroll made first contact on a corner from Payet, but Courtois put his frame in the way to make the save.
Chelsea spoiled West Ham's party one minute from time, however, when Fabregas scored his second of the afternoon from the penalty spot after Antonio had brought Ruben Loftus-Cheek to the ground inside the box. Five minutes of stoppage time were added and both teams searched for a winner, but Loftus-Cheek dragged the best chance wide of the post, leaving West Ham fifth and Chelsea 10th.
Matt Law
