Sublime Zola has rivals in raptures

As Tottenham manager, Glenn Hoddle would have loved his side to secure their first win at Stamford Bridge for 13 years. But as someone who knows a thing or two about exquisite finishes, the former Chelsea coach could only admire Gianfranco Zola's sublime equaliser.

It was Hoddle, of course, who started the current revolution in SW6, when he joined the club 10 years ago. His purchase of Ruud Gullit led to the subsequent arrivals of Gianluca Vialli and, most importantly, Zola. Seven years after landing on these shores for the bargain price of £4.5m, the Italian maestro continues to amaze with his skill and work rate. Two moments summed up his outstanding contribution yesterday: first, his splendid goal just before half-time, then his crucial defensive intervention in the last quarter.

"He is special," Claudio Ranieri said, "and he has in the foot the remote control. The free-kick looked to be very high but then curled at the last moment. It was fantastic."

With seven minutes gone, Jesper Gronkjaer, who is developing into a more potent threat down the right flank, skipped past Mauricio Taricco before delivering a dangerous low cross to the near post. The evergreen Zola was there at the near post, only for Ledley King to make a brave intervention. The ball came clear, though, and the little Italian was allowed a second bite at the cherry. This time, the Tottenham goalkeeper, Kasey Keller, made a good block with his legs.

Despite the scare and lack of Robbie Keane due to injury, Tottenham were by no means overrun. In one typically swift counter-attacking move, Stephen Carr collected a loose ball on the edge of his box, before releasing Teddy Sheringham down the right wing. The former England international picked out Goran Bunjevcevic, who played a square pass to Steffan Iversen, who, in turn, threaded a lovely ball through to Simon Davies on the penalty spot. The Welshman took one touch to set up an excellent shooting chance, but Carlo Cudicini spread himself well to block.

However, the Italian could do nothing when, moments later, Sheringham found himself unmarked at the far post to toe-poke Tottenham in front. The goal came courtesy of a well-worked move, which started with a Davies cross, was followed by a Gus Poyet glancing header and a crisp Darren Anderton cross, before Spurs' very own 36-year-old applied the finishing touch.

Chelsea were lucky not to fall further behind when Poyet, a former Stamford Bridge favourite, saw his snap shot from 18 yards superbly turned away by Cudicini.

On the half-hour mark, Frank Lampard had a similar chance at the other end, but his strike was also saved. Neither Boudewijn Zenden or Zola were able to turn in the rebound. Zola just soldiered on and, typically, scored the equaliser with an infinitely more difficult chance. Zenden was barely pushed by Davies 10 yards outside the area but a free-kick was awarded. Some 30 yards from goal and a long way to the left, Zola simply stroked the ball into the top corner. "The little man is a wonderful player," Hoddle conceded. "I didn't particularly want to see that, but it was wonderful to watch."

Chelsea emerged from the interval with Mario Melchiot on for Zenden, and more drive and desire. Seven minutes after the restart, a Graeme Le Saux free-kick was cleared, but only as far as Lampard, who shot instantly, only for Eidur Gudjohnsen's diving header to divert the ball wide of Keller's goal. Two minutes later, the Icelandic international had a chance to make amends, when he left Taricco for dead inside the area, only to shoot too close to the keeper.

That miss paled into insignificance eight minutes later, though, when Zola fluffed his shot from 12 yards out, following more excellent wing play from Gronkjaer. Ranieri had seen enough to persuade him that the time was right to introduce the club's top scorer, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, in a rearranged 4-3-3. Spurs seemed content to leave with the draw; their best chance was a Carr cut-back to Sheringham which the ever-alert Zola intercepted brilliantly.

Ranieri's final throw of the dice was to replace Gronkjaer with Carlton Cole. Even with four strikers, Chelsea still could not get the win their second-half display warranted.