Chelsea continue perfect start

Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the season as they came from behind to beat Sunderland 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland took the lead through Darren Bent, but second-half goals from Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Deco gave Chelsea all three points.

In the evening's other Premier League game, newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers won 1-0 at Wigan Athletic.

From Carlo Ancelotti's side, unimpressive in beating Hull City 2-1 on the opening day, this was a far more rounded performance, suggesting that they might be the challengers that they were widely assumed to be.

Chelsea had been on top when Sunderland went ahead after 18 minutes, as a Kenwyne Jones shot was deflected into the path of Bent, who scored his second in two games since his summer move from Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea continued to press, but it wasn't until seven minutes after half-time that they pulled level, Frank Lampard's corner being flicked on for Ballack, who scored despite Lee Cattermole's best efforts.

Michael Essien skewed badly wide from a great position before George McCartney, with 62 minutes gone, felled Didier Drogba in the box, and Lampard scored from the spot.

The third followed eight minutes later, with Deco rounding off a superb move with a shot from the edge of the box that flew in off the post.

Dean Sturridge squandered a great late chance to make it 4-1.

Wigan had begun the season with a superb 2-0 win at Aston Villa, but they went down in their first home game, a sixth-minute goal from Andrew Keogh, enough to give them all the win.

He headed home a precise free-kick from the Serbian midfielder Nenad Milijas, and though Wigan pressed, they couldn't find an equalizer.

Last updated on Aug 19^th, 2009 at 07:49 am IST--DPA