Chelsea struck early to take out Wigan Athletic on the road on Sunday in the first match of the Blues' Premier League season, with a pair of goals from Branislav Ivanovic and Frank Lampard. Reading needed late heroics to salvage a draw at home against Stoke City in the Royals' first Premier League match since 2008. The two sides appear to be headed in very different directions in advance of Wednesday's meeting between the teams at Stamford Bridge, but anything can happen after kickoff.
Both teams won titles last year, with Chelsea reigning atop the UEFA Champions League, and Reading winning promotion back to the Barclays Premier League by finishing the 2011-12 season atop the Championship. So far, though, only one club has shown winning form in 2012-13. Will that continue on Wednesday afternoon in London?
Follow along here with SWR as we bring you updates from the match. Offer your comments below, discuss the match with other fans, and keep refreshing your browsers for more updates. We're just about ready to begin.
1' - We're underway at Stamford Bridge. Petr Cech in goal for Chelsea, Adam Federici for Reading.
2' - Eden Hazard nearly got Chelsea off to a fast start again, but his shot to the far post rolled wide to the right. Nice early chance for the Blues, though, and it's easy to see how Hazard had a hand in both goals on Sunday.
7' - SAVE for Federici off a left-footed shot from Ramires, not the best shot he could have taken, but the Blues are getting their chances early.
10' - Chelsea was up 2-0 by this point last time out. That's not happening today, but the Blues are looking like the top club they're supposed to be. Good ball control thus far with a couple of nice chances.
12' - Reading aggressive in pursuit, but Chelsea just too good with the ball movement.
13' - Fernando Torres was looking dangerous in the penalty area, but Reading was finally able to get it away, with Alex Pearce breaking up the chance.
15' - Reading just can't get anything going in terms of possession. If the Royals do manage to get a kick, it's just one before Chelsea has it back.
17' - Danny Guthrie set up what might have been Reading's best chance thus far, looking to serve it up for Pogrebnyak.
17' - PENALTY for Chelsea, Hazard does it again! Gunter's tackle in the penalty area draws the whistle.
18' - GOAL, CHELSEA! Lampard buries it again, low and two the left. Federici guessed correctly, but it just didn't matter. Chelsea 1-0 Reading, and Hazard is endearing himself to the fans at the Bridge.
22' - Rare miscue from Chelsea gives Reading the ball, and Hazard fouls Gunter.
23' - Chelsea wins the ball back with little trouble, but Reading back on the attack again.
25' - GOAL, READING! Great header by Pogrebnyak on the service from McCleary, top left corner of the net, and they're level again. Cech had no chance on that ball.
28' - Jobi McAnuff made a nice run toward the goal, but he's brought down by John Terry. Possible that Terry could have been booked there, but no card was shown.
29' - GOAL, READING! Guthrie's low shot was right at Cech, but he couldn't hang onto it. A real howler for Cech, and it's Chelsea 1-2 Reading!
33' - McAnuff doesn't stop going, as Reading is feeling their oats and looking to build. Chance for Torres at the other end, but he can't get the contact he wants.
34' - Karacan fouls Hazard. This one's outside the penalty area, but clearly, Reading is not keen to be pushed around by the 21-year-old Belgian.
35' - John Terry's header sails over the crossbar.
37' - The uptick in Reading's confidence with the lead is noticeable here. Really attacking the ball and generally putting pressure on Chelsea. No real intimidation visible from a club that was playing in the Championship a year ago.
40' - Hazard tries one himself from outside the box, but the ball sails over the crossbar.
41' - Corner to Reading, as Garry Cahill interferes to break up a header chance for Pogrebnyak.
42' - Nothing doing for Reading on the first corner, but they force another. Not much happening again, but Reading keeping it in Chelsea's end.
43' - Pogrebnyak draws a foul on Terry, who shoved him down.
44' - Nearly 1-3 to Reading, as Ian Harte's free kick was right there for Gorkss. He couldn't get a head on it, though.
45' - We'll have two minutes added time.
45 + 1' - Hazard looked to serve one up for Torres, but the header goes just wide to the left.
HALFTIME, CHELSEA 1-2 READING. A stunning first half at Stamford Bridge, as Chelsea takes control early, but a pair of Reading goals have the visitors leading after 45 minutes. Can they keep it up?
46' - We're back underway at the Bridge. No changes at halftime for either club. Can Reading keep it up?
46' - Torres just not having the day he'd like. His latest attempt to send it in was easily defended by Reading.
47' - Torres may have gotten away with an offsides there, but it goes for naught, as Ivanovic's shot is high.
50' - Chelsea showing its strength early in the second half, back to controlling the time of possession.
51' - Reading still showing plenty of confidence. McAnuff and company were looking dangerous, but couldn't get a shot toward the goal.
54' - Reading strong on defense, and will need to be, as Chelsea is looking dangerous.
56' - The good news for Chelsea is that they're attacking well. The bad news is that they'll navigate a sea of yellow shirts to test Federici again, and so far, it's not happening.
57' - First sub of the day for Chelsea, as Oscar replaces Ramires
58' - Yellow card shown to Jem Karacan, for a challenge on Juan Mata. Not much to be said about the challenge, honestly, but it could be an accumulation of earlier fouls.
60' - John Terry down on the pitch hurt. He took a bad fall after colliding with Alex Pearce in mid-air, but he's back up and we're playing on.
63' - Oscar tries a shot, but can't get enough on it and it's easily pulled in by Federici.
63' - Corner to Reading as Terry's clearing attempt goes off Ashley Cole and out. Nothing doing on the corner kick itself, and Chelsea attacking again.
65' - Yellow card for Pogrebnyak after a foul on Cole. Fair booking.
67' - Great little flurry for Chelsea, including a chance for Hazard, but Reading continues to defend. Everywhere there needs to be a yellow shirt, there's been a yellow shirt...or even two, as when Torres had the ball.
67' - Torres looked to have a chance, but there were just too many Reading defenders. Torres wanted a hand ball, but none was given.
69' - Daniel Sturridge on now for Chelsea, as John Mikel Obi takes a seat.
70' - GOAL, CHELSEA! Gary Cahill's shot fools Federici and beats him on his left. Tricky shot, but probably one that Federici should have had, and now it's all level again at the Bridge.
71' - Mata's shot makes Federici dive to his right, but it's wide of the net.
71' - Sub for Reading now, as Adam Le Fondre, last-minute hero of Saturday's draw with Stoke, comes on for Karacan.
73' - Sturridge curls one high and wide.
75' - McAnuff nearly had a good chance for Reading, but he was surrounded by blue shirts and unable to get a shot off.
78' - McAnuff tries one from the left side, but it's high and not on a good angle.
79' - Chelsea swarming again, but Mata's right-footed shot goes wide.
81' - GOAL, CHELSEA! Torres gets a BIG break to get away with being offside, and he's right there to put it in off a setup from Ashley Cole. Chelsea 3-2 Reading.
82' - McAnuff has a shot saved by Cech.
84' - Substitution for Chelsea, as Mata sits down for Raul Meireles.
85' - You could see Reading manager Brian McDermott arguing with the official about Torres' offside as the sub was being made.
86' - McCleary's day is over, as Hal Robson-Kanu comes on for Reading.
89' - Reading trying to find an angle of attack here, but Chelsea is going to be tough to penetrate.
90' - Four minutes of time will be added, as Cech pulls down a ball that was hanging dangerously in the air.
90 + 1' - Make it five minutes.
90 + 2' - Robson-Kanu does a nice job drawing a foul on Ivanovic.
90 + 3' - Nothing doing on the free kick from Harte.
90 + 4' - Free kick awarded to Reading from 30 yards, we'll see what Harte can do with it.
90 + 4' - Kick runs through traffic and out off of Chelsea, corner to Reading.
90 + 5' - GOAL, CHELSEA! Federici came out of his net to attempt to assist on the corner, but Chelsea got the ball out to Hazard, who made a nice run on the empty goal with Ivanovic, and for the second time in as many games, Hazard has drawn a penalty to set up Lampard and made an assist on an Ivanovic goal.
FULL TIME, CHELSEA 4-2 READING. The scoreboard doesn't tell the story in this one, as Reading delivered a grand effort at the Bridge, only to come up short due in large part to poor officiating on the winning goal. It's worth pointing out that if Federici is on his game for the second goal, the third goal is a moot point, but that doesn't change the fact that Reading deserved better today.
