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Zoltan Gera shot a goal for the Chelsea FC. !!!! HeHe 😃

Two goals in as many second half minutes saw Chelsea come from behind to defeat a resolute Fulham side 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Monday afternoon.

Zoltan Gera had given the visitors a stunning early lead when he expertly controlled and finished inside four minutes and Bobby Zamora was superbly denied by Petr Cech just after half-time.

But just as it looked like it would be yet another frustrating afternoon for Chelsea, they levelled through a Didier Drogba header on 73 minutes before an own goal from Chris Smalling handed them victory two minutes later.

The victory, which was just the Blues’ second in eight matches, puts them five points clear of Manchester United – who have a game in hand – at the top of the Premier League, while Fulham lose for the first time in nine games.

Chelsea made six changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Birmingham City two days ago, with Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Yuri Zhirkov, Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou all coming into the starting line-up.

Fulham also had a goalless draw on Boxing Day, against Tottenham Hotspur, but they made just the one change as Smalling replaced Brede Hangeland at centre-back.

With former manager Jose Mourinho watching on in the stands, the Blues got off to a disastrous start when the visitors took the lead in just the fourth minute.

Paul Konchesky burst down the left-hand side and sent a good cross into the box, which John Terry failed to clear before Zamora helped the ball into the path of Gera, who controlled superbly before beating Cech from close-range.

Chelsea reacted quickly in search of an equaliser and in between receiving treatment; Didier Drogba came close with two efforts.

Firstly, the Ivorian tested Mark Schwarzer from the edge of the penalty box and the Australian goalkeeper again had to be alert as he got down to save well from a left-footed drive five minutes later.

The lively Drogba, who was playing his final game before departing for the African Cup of Nations, again threatened moments later after controlling Ferreira’s cross well, but John Pantsil was there to make an important block as the striker pulled the trigger.

As the first half progressed, Carlo Ancelotti’s side continued to dominate possession without creating many clear-cut opportunities and Kalou summed up the early struggles when he failed to trouble Schwarzer’s goal after finding space in the 24th minute.

Ten minutes later it was almost two for the visitors after a rare attack resulted in Clint Dempsey forcing Cech to push his curling effort over the crossbar and the home fans were starting to become more audible with their frustrations.

Drogba was again denied by a strong Pantsil challenge just before the half-time whistle as a disappointing first 45 minutes for the home side came to a close.

Just two minutes after the break, Fulham missed a golden opportunity to put the game to bed with a second goal.

Carvalho made a disastrous mistake in trying to get the ball back to his goalkeeper and Zamora nipped in and dispatched a shot towards goal, but Cech raced out of his goal to make a fantastic save.

That close shave seemed to inspire the Blues, who consistently broke forward in an attempt to get back into the game.

Kalou flashed the ball dangerously across the six-yard box but somehow failed to connect with the onrushing Frank Lampard and Schwarzer had to make another save from Drogba on the hour mark.

Fulham’s resolute defenders were repelling everything that was being thrown at them, blocking superbly from Lampard before Terry and Jon Obi Mikel both missed the target with long-range efforts.

Ancelotti brought on Branislav Ivanovic and Daniel Sturridge for Ferreira and Mikel in an attempt to change things with twenty minutes to go, while injury forced off the excellent Pantsil for the visitors, with Dickson Etuhu coming and the goal-scorer Gera being replaced by Andrew Johnson.

Moments later, the game was turned on its head as Chelsea grabbed two goals in the space of as many minutes.

Fulham were re-organising defensively when Drogba lost his marker Baird, who was taking over from the departed Pantsil at right-back, at the far post, and planted a firm header past Schwarzer from Ivanovic’s deep cross.

The stunning turnaround was complete just two minutes later as Fulham conceded a hugely unfortunate goal.

Kalou did well to surge free of Konchesky down the right and found Sturridge, whose shot was parried away by Schwarzer onto the shin of Smalling and the ball ricocheted off the defender’s shin into the net for an own goal.

The visitors desperately attempted to get back into the game, and forced Chelsea to cope with a number of dangerous moments before the final whistle.

Smalling almost atoned for his own goal as he headed a Damien Duff corner just off target, before substitute Bjorn Helge Riise’s cross caused momentary panic for Cech and the home back-line, but the Blues held on for the three points.

Chris Myson, Goal.com UK