Chelsea vs. Sunderland: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Chelsea completed their title-winning season with a 3-1 win over Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.
The Black Cats scored the first goal of the match by way of Steven Fletcher, but the Blues responded with three of their own in front of the jubilant home supporters.
Diego Costa delivered from the spot in the 37th minute, while Loic Remy bagged a second-half brace in Chelsea's 26th league victory of the 2014-15 season.
Continue reading on for a look at the winners and losers from Chelsea's final game of the season.
Winner: Loic Remy
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Remy came off the bench to net a pair of goals in the second half to hand the Blues a victory on the final day of the season.
In the 70th minute, the forward hit a shot from the middle of the pitch that squeaked past Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who probably should have done better in his attempt to keep the ball out.
Eighteen minutes later, the Frenchman tapped a Nemanja Matic pass into the left side of the net to secure three points for the home side.
The performance off the pine was exactly what the Blues needed from Remy, who replaced an electric Juan Cuadrado late in the first half.
Loser: John O'Shea
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With his side up a goal in the 36th minute, John O'Shea brought down Cuadrado on the right side of the penalty area.
The defender, who was outmatched by the dangerous winger on the play, allowed Chelsea to level the scores through Costa a minute later.
Although he didn't make any glaring mistakes after conceding the penalty, O'Shea failed to do anything spectacular for the rest of the contest.
Because of the loss at Stamford Bridge and Newcastle United's win over West Ham United, the Black Cats ended the 2014-15 campaign one spot behind their neighbors.
Winner/Loser: Juan Cuadrado
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Cuadrado was handed a chance to impress Jose Mourinho before the offseason started. He did just that, but he exited earlier than expected.
The Colombian earned a penalty in the 36th minute, when he surged into the right side of the box and collided with O'Shea. One minute later, Costa powered home Chelsea's first goal of the match.
With plenty of momentum behind him, Cuadrado looked to be on pace for a decent second half, but it wasn't to be. In the 44th minute, he limped off with a knock he picked up earlier in the first stanza.
He was impressive during his time on the pitch, but one has to think he would have left a bigger mark in the mind of Mourinho had he stayed on the field longer.
Loser: Jermain Defoe
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Jermain Defoe was a constant threat in the final third for the visitors on Sunday, but he could not propel Sunderland back into the game in the second half.
The Premier League journeyman put four of his six shots on target, but most of them were directed right at Petr Cech in the Chelsea net.
If the English forward could have placed one of his shots past Cech, the Black Cats may have left London with at least a point to their name.
Winner: Didier Drogba
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Didier Drogba left his final match as a Chelsea player in the 30th minute, with every Chelsea fan in attendance on their feet.
While his removal seemed a bit odd, as his teammates awkwardly hoisted the forward upon their shoulders and carried him to the bench, the applause given to the striker was more than deserved.
On his final appearance in a Chelsea kit, the Ivorian took just 11 touches, but no statistical numbers could dampen the spirits around Stamford Bridge when the forward exited the pitch for one last time.
Before the match, Drogba stated that he would play for one more year but that it wouldn't be with the Blues, shared by Chelsea's official website (h/t BBC Sport). Where Drogba goes next is not known at present, but he has been linked with Major League Soccer for quite some time, reported by the Telegraph (h/t the MLS website).
Winners: Eden Hazard and Willian
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Eden Hazard and Willian were both fantastic in the attacking half for Chelsea throughout the club's final game of the season.
The Belgian and Brazilian combined for 13 key passes, eight shots and 223 touches in the 3-1 home triumph over Sunderland.
Thanks to the clever play of the attacking duo over 90 minutes, the Sunderland defense had to stay put in their own half, especially in the second half, when the Blues brought forth an attacking onslaught.
With these two creative players in the fold for the long haul, Chelsea could easily repeat as champions next season.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from WhoScored.com.
