28/08/1999  Wimbledon 0 Chelsea 1

Dan Petrescu rifled home the winner just as Wimbledon 
looked certain to grind out a point with some gallant 
defending.

Chelsea dominated from start to finish at Selhurst Park but 
breathed a huge sigh of relief when Petrescu's thunderbolt 
finally punctured the Dons' gritty resistance 12 minutes from 
time.

It was a triumph of character for Gianluca Vialli's west 
London millionaires and a victory for football as the flair 
defeated Egil Olsen's unique brand of Viking long-ball.

Olsen's trench-fighters dug in on the edge of their penalty 
area at 3pm. They happily surrendered possession and 
territory, and hurled all manner of body-parts in front of the 
ball as Chelsea surged forward time after time.

Magnificent defending kept the Blues at bay but Vialli's 
troops would not be beaten. They remained patient and finally 
unpicked Wimbledon with a left-wing move and perfect finish 
from Petrescu.

A collective sigh of relief was heard from half the 22,167 
basking in the Selhurst sunshine and all the squandered 
chances were instantly forgotten.

The goal also broke the hearts of Wimbledon who defended 
bravely, even if they offered the game little in the way of 
attacking invention.

Tore Pedersen twice rescued his side in the first half. The 
Norwegian defender timed his challenge to perfection as 
Celestine Babayaro burst into the penalty area to seize on a 
delightful flick from Gianfranco Zola.

And Pedersen denied his fellow countryman Tore Andre Flo 
moments before the break with a brave back-post header after 
Neil Sullivan had totally missed a Dennis Wise corner.

In between, Sullivan earned his corn. The Scottish 
international saved low from Flo and dashed off his line to 
beat Zola in a race to a threaded pass from Petrescu.

Wise drove the ball into the net in the fourth minute but 
the flag was up for offside and referee Steve Dunn waved away 
appeals for handball against Kenny Cunningham as he cleared a 
deep cross.

Wimbledon's only first-half response was a Michael Hughes 
snap-shot which rose inches high and wide of Ed De Goey's goal 
in the 34th minute.

The relentless wave of attacks continued and Olsen was 
forced to reshuffle his defence.

Pedersen, who had been struggling to shrug off a stomach 
bug all week, made way for left-back Alan Kimble with Thatcher 
moving into the centre. The Blues, playing in white, swept 
forward.

Sullivan denied Flo and Poyet planted a free header over. 
Wise failed to connect cleanly when he looked certain to turn 
Babayaro's low cross home but his miscued effort allowed 
Sullivan to scramble across his line to save.

Trond Andersen's goal-line challenge thwarted Flo as the 
Norwegian tried to force home a ball from Didier Deschamps. 
And Andy Roberts cleared as Petrescu dithered in front of goal 
and Cunningham blocked a Poyet effort.

Petrescu had stuck the ball in the net twice only to be 
given offside before blazing his winner past Sullivan with a 
fierce right-foot drive in the 78th minute.

Wimbledon's chances were few and far between. Walid Badir, 
who made a lively start on his debut but faded, tested De Goey 
and Carl Cort fizzed a half-volley a yard wide after good work 
by Marcus Gayle.