Late Jorginho penalty earns Blues dramatic win
Chelsea had to rely on a stoppage-time penalty from Jorginho to finally overcome Leeds United in a dramatic 3-2 victory in the Premier League on Sunday (AEDT).
Goals from Mason Mount and two penalties from the Italian cancelled out Raphinha's opener and Joe Gelhardt's late strike in a topsy turvy affair at Stamford Bridge.
Having lost top spot in the Premier League last week after losing 3-2 at West Ham United, before also losing first place in its UEFA Champions League group after a 3-3 draw at Zenit, another setback was the last thing Thomas Tuchel's men needed.
The Blues almost had that setback as they threw away a lead for the third time in a week when substitute Gelhardt struck in the 83rd minute, but a foolish challenge by Mateusz Klich on Antonio Rudiger gave Jorginho the chance to win it in the 94th minute from the spot, and he made no mistake.
The hosts started brightly, determined to make amends for a sloppy week prior, but it was the visitors who took the lead when they were awarded a penalty in the 26th minute after Marcos Alonso brought down Dan James in the box.
Raphinha stepped up to outfox Mendy and put Leeds ahead with a penalty that would have made Jorginho proud had it not been against his team.
Alonso atoned for his indiscretion four minutes before half-time as he won the ball from Stuart Dallas and whipped a low cross into the near post, where Mount was waiting to equalise.
Just before the hour mark, Jorginho had a chance to replicate Raphinha after a VAR (video assistant referee) check deemed the Leeds goalscorer to have fouled Rudiger in the penalty area, and the Italian sent Illan Meslier the wrong way with a trademark effort from the spot.
Gelhardt thought he had snatched a point for his team when he turned home a Tyler Roberts cross with seven minutes to go, but Jorginho's second spot-kick of the day late on won it for the Blues.
