These are world-class numbers posted by a world-class player, and his hat-trick here proved far too much for a spirited Cardiff, who had taken an early lead but never looked likely to maintain it. By the time Willian curled in a glorious fourth for the home side to guarantee a fifth win in five games, Cardiff looked both physically and mentally beaten.
And yet there will be encouragement for Neil Warnock. Before the Hazard and Giroud double-act had fully begun, Cardiff had proved to be unexpectedly dangerous in attack. It was no surprise that Warnock’s side looked threatening from set pieces, of course, but not many would have predicted them being quite so menacing against this Chelsea back-line.
Bamba had his first big chance within 12 minutes, when he headed an inswinging corner down and wide. It felt at the time like the sort of opportunity Cardiff might not get again, but within three minutes he had
clattered the ball into the back of Kepa Arrizabalaga’s net.
Again it was from a set piece, with Joe Ralls launching the ball towards Sean Morrison at the edge of the box. Morrison headed across goal, where the 14-stone, 6ft 3in Bamba was challenged by the 10-stone, 5ft 11in Jorginho. The Chelsea midfielder could count himself fortunate not to have ended up in the goal with the ball.
They repeated the trick before the break, but this time Giroud deserved the plaudits. His wonderfully dainty touch, on the stretch and
surrounded by Cardiff bodies, allowed Hazard to tuck home one of the more straightforward finishes he will have this season.
Chelsea’s dominance continued after the break, with Pedro looking the most likely to extend the lead before he was replaced by Willian. The Spaniard curled a shot wide from the edge of the box after skipping past a Cardiff challenge, and then watched as his cross-shot trickled across the face of Etheridge’s goal.
Cardiff had their moments still, with Ralls and Bobby Reid both shooting wide from promising positions, but the gulf in class was growing increasingly obvious. Bamba fouled Willian after Hazard’s whipped through ball, and the Belgian was never going to miss from the spot. That looked to be that, before Willian picked up the ball on the edge of the box and whipped one of his trademark efforts into the top corner.
effort onto the roof of the net.
For all Cardiff’s industry, and for all their attempts to slow the Chelsea tide, the equalizer was coming. Hazard spun into space, latched onto Giroud’s sharp pass and bounced off the helpless Joe Bennett before lashing his shot into the far corner. It was Hazard at his best, thriving off Giroud’s awareness.
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