FA Cup: United knock out Chelsea
LONDON: Manchester United’s Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba struck first-half goals to claim a 2-0 win that dumped FA Cup holders Chelsea out of the competition and secured a place in the quarter-finals at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
It was a measure of revenge for United, resurgent under interim coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who lost to Chelsea in last May’s Wembley final under their former boss Jose Mourinho.
Chelsea’s fragile defence was split with crosses from either flank. Paul Pogba supplied the first in the 31st minute after a fast move down the left and Herrera ghosted into the box to nod the ball down past stranded goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Until that moment a lively game had been evenly poised, with a host of chances at either end. Chelsea’s hopes were crushed just before halftime, however, in a speedy United counter down the right, with Rashford crossing for Pogba to head powerfully home between defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger.
The fifth round defeat piled more pressure on Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri, whose side were hammered 6-0 last week in the Premier League by United’s neighbours Manchester City.
Chants of “sacked in the morning” broke out in the second half as the hosts failed to break United down. There were boos from some home supporters at the final whistle while Solskjaer celebrated with his players in front of the travelling fans.
UNITED FACE WOLVES
Premier League champions Manchester City will travel to Championship (second-tier) side Swansea City in the FA Cup quarter-finals next month, while rivals Manchester United visit Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Crystal Palace were drawn away to Watford in another alltop-flight clash while second-tier Millwall host Brighton & Hove Albion in the other quarter-final.
LEEDS FINED
LONDON: Leeds United have escaped a points penalty in their quest to be promoted to the Premier League after it was announced Monday they had been fined £200,000 ($259,000, 229,000 euros) and reprimanded for spying on their opponents.
SPANISH SUPER CUP
MADRID: The Spanish Super Cup is to be revamped into a fourteam competition and staged abroad, the Spanish Federation (RFEF) announced on Tuesday.
RFEF president Luis Rubiales said the new competition would comprise the winner and secondplaced teams in La Liga and the finalists in the Copa del Rey. Historically the Supercup has been dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona.