Chelsea looked to be on course for the fifth round when Frank Lampard fired them 1-0 up in the first-half of extra time at Stamford Bridge. But a last-gasp equaliser from Leighton Baines, the Everton left-back curling in a free-kick from 25 yards, took the game to penalties.
Even then Chelsea appeared to be on course for victory, when Lampard and Didier Drogba buried their opening spot-kicks either side of a miss by Baines to put the Blues 2-0 up in the shoot-out.
Phil Jagielka kept Everton in it with a clinical penalty before Nicolas Anelka saw his effort palmed away by Tim Howard. Mikel Arteta scored to level at 2-2 and when Ashley Cole missed with Chelsea’s fifth spot-kick it was left to Everton skipper Phil Neville to blast home the winner.
The defeat leaves Chelsea’s domestic season in tatters. They trail Premier League leaders Manchester United by 12 points and their only realistic chance of silverware lies in the Champions League.
Chelsea – who had been held to a 1-1 draw by Everton in the first match at Goodison Park – had the upper hand throughout normal time but were unable to convert a plethora of scoring opportunities.
Stoke cruise to quarters
In other FA Cup matches, Premier League side Stoke booked their place in the quarter-finals after cruising to a 3-0 victory over Brighton.
Stoke had effectively wrapped up victory in the opening 45 minutes, surging into a 3-0 lead at the break, courtesy goals from John Carew, Jon Walters and Ryan Shawcross.
Meanwhile, Birmingham had a similarly straightforward task in their tie with League One strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, winning 3-0.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2011.
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