Costa's hat-trick seals Chelsea's comeback
CHELSEA 4
(Diego Costa 45, 56, 67, Loic Remy 81)
SWANSEA 2
(John Terry 11-og, Jonjo Shelvey 86)
The fears were unfounded after all.
Diego Costa had a nightmare for Spain at the World Cup in Brazil, prompting fears among Chelsea fans that they had bought a white elephant.
Instead, Chelsea got the White Drogba.
The 25-year-old striker's stupendous start to life at Chelsea continued yesterday, as he netted thrice to help his side notch a comeback 4-2 victory over Swansea at Stamford Bridge.
His hat-trick takes his tally to a superb seven goals in just four league games.
Can it get better than this?
Don't bet against it.
Costa was the ultimate predator against a plucky Swansea side.
He was everything manager Jose Mourinho could ever dream of.
He tore the Swansea backline apart like a hurricane ravaging a row of wooden huts.
He left behind a trail of destruction that Swansea will probably take weeks to recover from.
Chelsea fans have seen this before.
This is Didier Drogba v2.0.
They share similar characteristics.
Strong, determined and lethal, the Brazil-born Costa also has the same voracious appetite in front of goal.
Mourinho is either a very astute football man or an extremely lucky manager.
In his first stint with the Blues, he bought Drogba, and now, in his second spell, he got Costa.
He will hope that Costa can also reach the heights the Ivorian scaled.
Between 2004 and 2012, Drogba scored 100 league goals.
But, at this rate, Costa is making up ground fast.
The £32 million ($65.7m) fee paid to Atletico Madrid looks like a real bargain now.
Chelsea had to dig deep for this victory though.
Swansea were more than a match for the title favourites in the first half.
They started the match the brighter side, and few would begrudge them the opening goal in the 11th minute, even if it came off Chelsea captain John Terry.
Ki Sung Yeung's powerful low cross into the six-yard box was the typical ball that preyed on the fears of defenders.
Terry went for the desperate clearance and hoped for the best, presumably not knowing that teammate Cesar Azpilicueta was in a better position to deal with the danger.
Terry lost the gamble, Swansea grabbed the lead.
AUDACITY
The Swans had the audacity. But Chelsea have Costa.
Just as Swansea seemed to have done enough to go into the break with a one-goal lead, he struck. With a powerful header in a crowded penalty box, he turned the game on its head.
It was just the ignition that the Blues were crying out for.
By the 56th minute, the hosts were 2-1 up.
From the edge of the six-yard box, Costa turned in a pass by Cesc Fabregas.
Moments later, he completed the masterclass.
Displaying excellent timing to meet Ramires' through-ball, he swept the ball home from close range to put the issue beyond doubt.
Loic Remy and Jonjo Shelvey subsequently netted for either side to end a thrilling game.
But the match belonged to Costa, and rightly so.
Just listen to the rapturous applause as he trooped off the pitch in the 72nd minute.
They absolutely love him already.
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