The 35-year-old, who made his 698th Chelsea appearance in Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester United, last week said he expected to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, saying there would be no “fairytale ending”.
Advertisement
Jesse Lingaard scored a fine goal for the visitors after an hour’s play but in the first minute of added time Costa coolly beat Spain team mate David De Gea to snatch a draw.
Costa’s goal, his seventh in nine games, gave Chelsea something to show for their efforts after an awkward afternoon that saw Kurt Zouma stretchered off with a serious-looking knee injury.
Manchester United have fared considerably better than that this year, but are still nowhere near where they would like to be – sitting fifth, five points back on the Champions League places.
Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink admits Kurt Zouma’s injury is a “bad one” and he will find out more tomorrow.
They would have lifted the roof off had his first-half strike flashed into the net, rather than cannoned off Daley Blind’s arm. “We played like we played today but we are not making the gap smaller (on the Champions League places)”, he said.
It has been a truly terrible season for Chelsea, and with fourteen games left in the Premier League their chances of European qualification are slim.
Oscar was largely ineffective before being taken off for Eden Hazard early in the second half, but he did go close twice in quick succession before half time, first shooting over from a tight angle before just failing to reach a low cross from fellow Brazilian Willian.
Costa rescued a point in the 91st minute after rounding De Gea following Cesc Fabregas’ pass.
However, much like Chelsea’s unbeaten run under Hiddink – which has now stretched to 11 games – it’s winning that counts.
“It is unbelievable that we don’t reward ourselves”, said a frustrated Louis van Gaal after watching his side pegged back in the final moments against Chelsea. “But you have to control the game better and we did not do that”, he told reporters.
“The [injury] time was already over, the six minutes, and then he let [Chelsea] kick the corner and when we had a free pitch for us he whistles”.
“I don’t think that is fair”. The England worldwide has scored seven times in his last 7 games after going two months without a goal.
Advertisement
“I’m glad with the reaction of the team”.
