Alonso double helps Chelsea beat Spurs

London, August 20 

Two goals from Marcos Alonso gave Chelsea a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the first-ever Premier League game at Wembley Stadium.

For all the noise and wall of flags that greeted their arrival, Spurs needed an early goal to feel at ease in their new surroundings. 

It was Chelsea, though, who made the breakthrough against the run of play on 23 minutes when Alonso thumped home a superb freekick from 20 metres. The shock jolted Spurs who spent much of the game peppering Chelsea’s goal, with Harry Kane hitting the post and Christian Eriksen also going close. 

They eventually got a goal on 82 minutes but only when Michy Batshuayi headed an Eriksen freekick into his own goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute. The striker looked disconsolate but the goal heralded a frantic finale in which Tottenham had a penalty appeal turned down and Chelsea scored on the counterattack after 88 minutes when Luiz intercepted and Pedro fed Alonso on the overlap. Alonso  shot low but must have been as surprised as anyone when goalkeeper Hugo Lloris somehow let the ball through.

Atletico salvage draw

Madrid: Atletico Madrid battled back from 2-0 down after a red card for Antoine Griezmann to salvage a 2 -2 draw at newly-promoted Girona to start their La Liga campaign. — Reuters, AFP