Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack both scored
for Chelsea on Saturday, helping the defending champions beat
Portsmouth 2-1 in the English Premier League.
Shevchenko scored in the 55th minute and Ballack added another
two minutes later at Stamford Bridge with his first Premier League
goal. Both were subsequently shown yellow cards for celebrating.
Chelsea now has 22 points but Manchester United, which plays
Liverpool on Sunday, can hold onto the lead on goal difference with
a win.
Also Saturday, it was: Charlton 0, Watford 0; Everton 2,
Sheffield United 0; and Wigan 4, Manchester City 0. Later, Aston
Villa hosted Fulham.
Shevchenko, who joined Chelsea for a club record fee, took a low
cross from Arjen Robben to score into the corner of the net. He last
scored for the Blues in a 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough on Aug. 23.
Ballack, who also joined Chelsea in the off-season, headed in a
goal after Didier Drogba's cross in the 57th.
Portsmouth pulled a goal back in the 69th when Benjani Mwaruwari
scored.
Mikel Arteta headed in a cross from Phil Neville to put Everton
ahead in the 13th minute at Goodison Park. Sheffield United defender
Claude Davis was sent off in the 32nd for bring down Andy Johnson in
the box.
James Beattie scored from the resulting penalty a minute later.
Charlton stayed at the bottom of the table after its 0-0 draw
with 19th-place Watford. Charlton had lost its previous five
matches, and while Watford still hasn't won yet this season, it
moved up one place to 18th.
Wigan won its first match since the opening day of the season,
with Emile Heskey, Henri Camara and Antonio Valencia all scoring for
Wigan. Manchester City defender Richard Dunne scored an own-goal.
Heskey scored from a volley after taking a pass from Emmerson
Boyce in the first minute. Wigan doubled the lead in the fourth
minute when Dunne headed Josip Skoko's free kick into his own net.
Camara scored the third in the 65th and, two minutes later,
Valencia took a cross from Heskey to score into the corner.
Wigan jumped from 17th to 13th in the standings.
``We're not out of the woods yet but we can use this as a
springboard, it's going to be a long hard season,'' Wigan manager
Paul Jewell said.
City was missing 11 players because of injury and still hasn't
won away from home this season.
Also Sunday, it's: Blackburn vs. Bolton; Middlesbrough vs.
Newcastle; Tottenham vs. West Ham; and Reading vs. Arsenal.
