FA Cup Q-Final Replay: Tottenham 1 Chelsea 2
Stunning strikes from Andriy Shevchenko and Shaun Wright-Phillips kept Chelsea's quadruple dreams alive by sending Tottenham spinning out of the FA Cup.
Shevchenko and Wright-Phillips struck in the second half of the quarter-final replay at White Hart Lane to get Jose Mourinho within sight of the only trophy he has not won in the English game.
Robbie Keane pulled a goal back for the hosts with a penalty but he could not take his record of scoring in every round of this season's cup into the last four.
Spurs were ultimately undone by goals of genuine quality, Shevchenko's quite clearly his finest since arriving in London.
It was only his 12th strike since the Community Shield at the start of the campaign but offered a reminder of why Chelsea parted with more than £30million for his services.
The Ukraine striker has saved his best performances for the knockout competitions and his goal had the hallmarks of the kind of strikes he regularly executed at AC Milan.
Then came Wright-Phillips' volley, giving Steve McClaren in the stands a glimpse of what England are missing without him in the squad.
As nervous before the game as the two sets of supporters was McClaren, who watched on as five of his squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers started and Jermain Defoe was on the bench.
But it was the foreign players who made an early impression in a frenetic start, Dimitar Berbatov showing his familiar neat touches which set up Keane to have a shot blocked.
At the other end, Chelsea were inches from taking the lead in the seventh minute. Ashley Cole, jeered by home supporters for being a former Arsenal player, hoisted the ball forward for Didier Drogba to chest down, but Michael Ballack's volley flew just wide.
It was two Englishmen not in McClaren's squad, however, who looked to set themselves apart from the ferocious pace of the game.
Michael Dawson cleared a host of Chelsea attacks with his head and Wright-Phillips, recalled to the starting XI for Arjen Robben, fizzed a shot over in the 17th minute.
As is the way with tense cup ties, strong challenges were committed by both teams, Ricardo Carvalho timing one to perfection when Keane had a sight of goal.
Lassana Diarra mis-timed one on Aaron Lennon and was booked, while Drogba earned a yellow card after his reaction to fouling Ricardo Rocha.
A player left out of McClaren's squad, Jermaine Jenas, was proving dangerous with his deliveries from dead-balls.
His corner had to be clawed around the post by Petr Cech midway through the half, and Dawson headed over the resulting set-piece.
Jenas then threatened from open play but Keane and Berbatov were just a yard off his fiercely-struck cross from the right.
Cole powered a shot at goal five minutes before the break but it deflected to safety off a team-mate, with the first half drawing to an end with neither goalkeeper making a significant save.
Cech, however, was called into action in the 49th minute when Jenas' corner found its way to the far post and Pascal Chimbonda volleyed on target but too close to Chelsea's goalkeeper.
Steed Malbranque forced a more urgent save two minutes later with a drilled effort from the edge of the area.
But Chelsea were ahead in the 55th minute through Shevchenko's stunning opener.
There appeared to be little danger when the Ukraine striker picked the ball up on the right flank but, with the angles getting tighter, he unleashed his left-footed rocket into the far top corner.
The lead was doubled just after the hour mark, Drogba trapping a long ball with his chest for Wright-Phillips to volley home first time.
The two goals were good enough to win any cup tie but Spurs set up a dramatic finale when Berbatov was fouled by Carvalho when closing in on goal.
The Portugal centre-back only got a yellow card, with Keane sending Cech the wrong way with the penalty.
After the final whistle a fan ran onto the pitch in the direction of Chelsea's Frank Lampard but was tackled by stewards before he got close to the player.
Shevchenko and Wright-Phillips struck in the second half of the quarter-final replay at White Hart Lane to get Jose Mourinho within sight of the only trophy he has not won in the English game.
Robbie Keane pulled a goal back for the hosts with a penalty but he could not take his record of scoring in every round of this season's cup into the last four.
Spurs were ultimately undone by goals of genuine quality, Shevchenko's quite clearly his finest since arriving in London.
It was only his 12th strike since the Community Shield at the start of the campaign but offered a reminder of why Chelsea parted with more than £30million for his services.
The Ukraine striker has saved his best performances for the knockout competitions and his goal had the hallmarks of the kind of strikes he regularly executed at AC Milan.
Then came Wright-Phillips' volley, giving Steve McClaren in the stands a glimpse of what England are missing without him in the squad.
As nervous before the game as the two sets of supporters was McClaren, who watched on as five of his squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers started and Jermain Defoe was on the bench.
But it was the foreign players who made an early impression in a frenetic start, Dimitar Berbatov showing his familiar neat touches which set up Keane to have a shot blocked.
At the other end, Chelsea were inches from taking the lead in the seventh minute. Ashley Cole, jeered by home supporters for being a former Arsenal player, hoisted the ball forward for Didier Drogba to chest down, but Michael Ballack's volley flew just wide.
It was two Englishmen not in McClaren's squad, however, who looked to set themselves apart from the ferocious pace of the game.
Michael Dawson cleared a host of Chelsea attacks with his head and Wright-Phillips, recalled to the starting XI for Arjen Robben, fizzed a shot over in the 17th minute.
As is the way with tense cup ties, strong challenges were committed by both teams, Ricardo Carvalho timing one to perfection when Keane had a sight of goal.
Lassana Diarra mis-timed one on Aaron Lennon and was booked, while Drogba earned a yellow card after his reaction to fouling Ricardo Rocha.
A player left out of McClaren's squad, Jermaine Jenas, was proving dangerous with his deliveries from dead-balls.
His corner had to be clawed around the post by Petr Cech midway through the half, and Dawson headed over the resulting set-piece.
Jenas then threatened from open play but Keane and Berbatov were just a yard off his fiercely-struck cross from the right.
Cole powered a shot at goal five minutes before the break but it deflected to safety off a team-mate, with the first half drawing to an end with neither goalkeeper making a significant save.
Cech, however, was called into action in the 49th minute when Jenas' corner found its way to the far post and Pascal Chimbonda volleyed on target but too close to Chelsea's goalkeeper.
Steed Malbranque forced a more urgent save two minutes later with a drilled effort from the edge of the area.
But Chelsea were ahead in the 55th minute through Shevchenko's stunning opener.
There appeared to be little danger when the Ukraine striker picked the ball up on the right flank but, with the angles getting tighter, he unleashed his left-footed rocket into the far top corner.
The lead was doubled just after the hour mark, Drogba trapping a long ball with his chest for Wright-Phillips to volley home first time.
The two goals were good enough to win any cup tie but Spurs set up a dramatic finale when Berbatov was fouled by Carvalho when closing in on goal.
The Portugal centre-back only got a yellow card, with Keane sending Cech the wrong way with the penalty.
After the final whistle a fan ran onto the pitch in the direction of Chelsea's Frank Lampard but was tackled by stewards before he got close to the player.
posted by dgarden at 4:06 pm
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