BLUES PAY T THE PENALTY
Lamela punishes Chelsea with late equaliser before shootout glory
EVEN with no fans, this was one hell of a crazy, wild grudge match.
Touchline bust-ups, brutal challenges and even a toilet break as the bad blood from one of London’s fiercest derbies spilled over at White Hart Lane.
Ultimately, it took a penalty shoot- out to decide it, with Tottenham celebrating wildly when Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount smashed his spot kick wide after nine faultless penalties previously.
It was rough on Frank
Lampard’s Chelsea and another game in the next round that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho probably did not want, but a sweet victory all the same.
This pair used to have one of football’s best relationships with Lampard enjoying glorious success under Mourinho at Stamford Bridge and clearly got the bug from his managerial mentor.
Yet now they have become fierce rivals on the touchline, their war an amusing sideshow.
Yet even that was usurped by Eric Dier disappearing down the tunnel in the second half to go to the loo, with his bemused manager him.
It was an utterly bizarre incident from an incredible, bonkers game.
No matter Tottenham’s fixture pile-up, put these two together and they cannot resist having a good old fashioned tear-up.
Mourinho had warned before the game that Spurs - in the middle of a run of nine matches in 21 days - cannot compete on all fronts and something had to give.
But after going behind, Spurs suddenly remembered they were in a London derby, rolled chasing after
up their sleeves, got involved in a slugfest and began to have a scrap.
So much for not competing. Mourinho, after all, is the Premier League manager g who could have a row in an empty room - and cer t a i n ly cannot help himself when there is a football match at stake.
Che lsea fully y deserved their lead ead when Timo Werner put them ahead after 19 minutes with his first goal in English football in what was a nightmare for
Tottenham new boy Reguilon on his debut.
The left-back gave away the ball away, it was fed out wide to Cesar Azpilicueta and he proceeded to put Reguilón on his b backside before sending in over a low cross. There was Werner in the middle to steer home a brilliant finish and s show just why he is de developing into a hugely huge promising signing for Chelsea.
No one should forget that, back in 2016, Chelsea celebrated like they won the
Sergio league when they stopped Tottenham winning the title, and those memories still burn deep.
Spurs summoned up some extra energy and made a game of it.
Kurt Zouma made two brilliant challenges on Gedson Fernandes after he broke into the Chelsea box.
Chelsea’s debutant keeper Edouard Mendy pulled off a sensational save to push Reguilon’s shot over the crossbar after 50 minutes as the intensity levels went up.
Tottenham threw on Harry Kane and then Lamela came to
the home side’s e’s rescue. Reguilon redeemed edeemed himself by turning ing creator with a terrific c cross and Lamela scored d an 84thminute 84ther equaliser to take the tie to penalties.
Dier ( left), Lamela amela (right), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, ojbjerg, Lucas Moura and Kane ne all scored for Spurs, while ile Tammy A b r a h am, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho ginho and Emerson replied lied for Chelsea only for Mount to miss the target et and send Tottenham nto through to the next round.