Manchester United is out of the FA Cup, too, now.
Just like in the League Cup, Chelsea did it.
After coming back from 0-2, at Old Trafford, to tie it at two, Chelsea managed to defeat the probable League winners this season, in the replay, and in doing so oust them from the direct-elimination tournament.
Dembe Ba scored the only goal, in minute 49, after a glorious effort to deflect the ball away and over Man. U. goalkeeper De Gea.
United had a couple of good chances to tie the match. Hernandez, first, was denied a point-blank header by the palm of Petr Cech, after the hour, and then van Persie could not slam the ball on target, from 10-12 meters out, with only 2 minutes left in regulation.
(I guess the curses of Arsenal fans might be catching up with him.)
The Manchester team did not play badly. Chelsea played better. But neither team was exactly spectacular.
Chelsea will now face Manchester City, at Wembley, in the second semifinal, while the winner of Wigan-Millwall will be awaiting in the final.
And, on Thursday, Chelsea will be contesting another quarter-final, in the Europa League, the first leg against Rubin Kazan, in their third of four matches in nine days (- March 30 - April 7).
I think it's good for Chelsea fans that their team still could win two reasonably big trophies this year. (Manchester United, for example, cannot say that they won the Europa League. And it's not like they didn't have the chance.)
I'm probably getting ahead of things too much, but if Benitez wins them both, maybe he should stay in charge at the London club.
(He did show that he taught his team not to concede early against their biggest rivals. Not again.)
Highlights:
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