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Chelsea
came from behind to reach the last eight of the Capital One Cup with a pulsating
5-4 extra-time victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
Just four days after suffering their first Premier League defeat of the season
at the hands of the same opposition - when the Reds edged a five-goal thriller -
the Blues enjoyed a measure of revenge following another goalfest in west
London.
However, the Blues had to come from behind three times and needed a last-gasp
Eden Hazard penalty to take the match into overtime.
United were gifted an opening goal on 21 minutes when Oriol Romeu was robbed by
Anderson who set up Ryan Giggs to fire a low curling left foot strike beyond the
reach of keeper Petr Cech.
Yet the Blues were level from the penalty spot eight minutes later: Alexander
Buttner tripped Victor Moses and David Luiz smashed the ball into the bottom
left-hand corner of the net although keeper Anders Lindegaard managed to get a
hand on it.
Javier Hernandez was at his predatory best to fire United back in front two
minutes before half-time.
After Anderson pounced on a Luiz mistake, the Brazilian spotted Hernandez who
raced clear of the home defence before slipping the ball past an advancing Cech.
Chelsea were level for a second time seven minutes after the break when Juan
Mata's corner was crisply headed home by Gary Cahill.
However, Nani superbly chipped United back in front just before the hour mark
after playing a quick one-two with Anderson - who collected his third assist of
the night.
And with 93 minutes on the clock, a clumsy Scott Wootton bundled over Ramires in
the box and Hazard cooly slotted home Chelsea's second penalty of the evening to
take the tie into extra-time.
Wooton was also at fault when Chelsea went ahead for the first time just seven
minutes into extra-time.
The youngster's weak mis-directed header back to his keeper was gratefully
gobbled up by Daniel Sturridge who made amends for his previous misses to fire
Chelsea 4-3 ahead.
And four minutes from the end of extra time, Hazard set up Ramires who rounded
Lindegaard to slip the ball into an empty net and put Chelsea 5-3 ahead.
There was still time for Giggs to score the ninth goal of the evening from the
penalty spot, following a foul by Cesar Azpilicueta on Hernandez in the 119th
minute, yet it came too late to save the visitors as the Blues made it through
to the quarter-finals of a competition they used to call the League Cup.
Click Here For Official Teamsheet
Teams
Chelsea Cech, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand,
Romeu (Oscar 70), Mikel (Ramires 45), Moses, Mata, Piazon (Hazard 54), Sturridge
Subs Not Used Hilario, Ferreira, Saville, Marin
Booked Romeu, Mikel, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires
Goals Luiz (pen) 31, Cahill 52, Hazard (pen) 90, Sturridge
97,Ramires 116
Manchester United Lindegaard, Rafael, Keane, Wooton, Buttner (Powell
45), Nani, Fletcher, Anderson (Tunnicliffe 80), Giggs, Hernandez, Welbeck
(Mecheda 98)
Subs Not Used Johnstone, Lingard, Vermilli, Brady
Booked Wootton, Keane, Nani, Giggs
Goals Giggs 22, (pen) 120, Hernandez 43, Nani 59
Attendance 41,126
Referee L. Mason