Mikel’s title hopes ruined as Everton ends Chelsea’s FA Cup dream

By Daily Sports on March 13, 2016

Romelu Lukaku scored a late brace to send Everton into the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over his former team Chelsea, whose miserable week ended with a Diego Costa red card.

The Stamford Bridge outfit were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, meaning both sides were left with a remaining target of FA Cup glory to salvage underwhelming seasons.

This all-or-nothing feel influenced most of the first half, where two fully committed teams were hindered in their search for fluency and creativity in a high-octane contest.

Things opened slightly after the break, with Costa and Everton's Ross Barkley both going close before Lukaku scored his first goal in five appearances against a club where he was deemed surplus to requirements.

The Belgium international darted inside Cesar Azpilicueta and Branislav Ivanovic, powered past Jon Obi Mikel and twisted Gary Cahill inside out before finishing unerringly in the 78th minute.

Four minutes later he sprung the offside trap to make it two, leaving Costa to encapsulate Chelsea’s frustration by collecting a second booking for pushing match-spanning gripes with Everton midfielder Gareth Barry too far.

Barry himself collected a needless second caution for a foul on Cesc Fabregas shortly afterwards but his manager Roberto Martinez was able to celebrate a much-needed triumph.

The first half was typified by the start of Costa and Barry's feud, which earned the Chelsea striker his first yellow and offered further encouragement for a vocal Goodison Park crowd to involve themselves in the occasion.

A tough-tackling encounter was punctuated by Costa throwing himself to the ground amid a tussle with Phil Jagielka in the Everton area, with referee Michael Oliver unmoved by his penalty claims.

Joel Robles leapt to deny free-kick specialist Willian two minutes from the end of a half where the Everton goalkeeper had little else with which to concern himself.

In a rare show of Costa’ ability on the ball, he latched onto Fabregas’ immaculate throughball and skipped around Ramiro Funes Mori and Joel before pulling a shot across the face of goal with the angle against him.

A rampaging Aaron Lennon sewed confusion in the Chelsea box, Barry eventually sending the cutback to Barkley, who blazed wide.

Thibaut Courtois came out sharply to thwart Lukaku on the end of Cleverley’s 71st-minute throughball, while Everton full-back Seamus Coleman made a crucial back-post clearance with Kenedy lurking.

Lukaku’s sensational solo effort of poise, pace and power brought Goodison to its feet and he needed no invitation to double his side's advantage moments later, dispatching Barkley’s well-weighted pass as the Chelsea offside trap failed and their hopes of silverware evaporated in the space of five minutes.

Six minutes from time, Costa barged, rutted with and then hugged Barry – an exchange that finally exhausted Oliver’s patience.

Ex-Manchester City man Barry was also booked for his part in the ruckus, then tripped Fabregas to ensure Guus Hiddink’s first domestic defeat in his second spell in charge of Chelsea ended as a game of 10-a-side. (Goal.com)

•Photo shows Mikel Obi.

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 13, 2016


 

You may also like...
Mourinho: Me being unhappy at Man Utd is...

Kyrgios Pulls Out Of Tokyo Olympics, Says Not...

Coutinho inspire Barca win against Alaves

Motorsports Adds Spark To Ilara-Imokin Festival

Wimbledon 2018: Cilic beats Djokovic in close final...

Frank Lampard: I've had offers to join Premier...

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,141 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,269 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,350 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,991 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,931 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,879 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,718 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,288 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,332 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,035 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,489 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,916 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media