adminLONDON. — Jose Mourinho praised Eden Hazard after the Belgian finished a difficult week by converting a hotly disputed 96th-minute penalty that prevented Chelsea from suffering a second successive English Premier League soccer defeat.
Hazard was disciplined after missing training this week, but he was restored to the line-up against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and struck the added-time equaliser that secured a 2-2 draw.
The 22-year-old had taken an un- authorised trip to France last Sunday and was delayed when he lost his passport, but Mourinho insists the matter is now closed.
“I don’t need to accept his apology. I don’t need to think any more about it,” he said.
“It was a big penalty. Penalties are easy to score in training sessions — I score — as they are when you’re winning 3-0 or 4-0.
“But this was a difficult one and the kid was very calm.”
West Brom manager Steve Clarke and his players were incensed by referee Andre Marriner’s decision to award a penalty when Ramires went down under a challenge from Steven Reid, and questioned how easily the Chelsea midfielder went to ground.
“I’m disappointed that a bad decision has cost us two points,” said Clarke, who was Mourinho’s assistant during the Portuguese’s first spell at Stamford Bridge. —AFP.
Online Reporter