CHELSEA SURVIVE A SPOT OF BOTHER TO SEE OFF NORWICH
NINE-MAN Chelsea won a tense penalty shoot-out against Norwich City after a controversial replay at Stamford Bridge last night.
Jamal Lewis’s stoppage time goal had taken this third-round clash into extra-time after Michy Batshuayi had given Antonio Conte’s men the lead.
Chelsea then howled for a penalty in the first period after Timm Klose appeared to take Willian down in the box but when referee Graham Scott referred the incident to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) the hosts’ claims were turned down. ‘That’s a shambles,’ said Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer.
Pedro, who had been booked for simulation in the second half, was then shown a red for fouling Wes Hoolahan in the second period before Alvaro Morata was also sent off after being deemed to have gone down too easily in the box.
As Conte raged on the touchline, the match went to penalties, with Eden Hazard slotting home the winner in a 5-4 shootout victory after Willy Caballero had saved Nelson Oliveira’s effort.
If Andy Carroll is the answer then what on earth is the question, wondered Chelsea fans as they wrapped up against the chill and headed to Stamford Bridge.
By half-time in this FA Cup third-round replay, they might have been warming to the idea as chances came and went and the wait for a goal stretched into its fifth hour of football.
Then, ten minutes into the second half, up stepped Batshuayi to apply a firm near-post finish to a low cross from Kenedy and relief washed around the stadium.
The Championship side’s stubborn resistance had finally been broken and Batshuayi had his first goal since mid-October, not including a couple for the Under 21 team in the Checkatrade Trophy at MK Dons.
Until then, little had gone right for the Belgian centre forward, who scored the goal to win the title last season.
Batshuayi’s touch deserted him at key moments in the build-up and he misplaced passes and was easily shackled by Christoph Zimmermann. But all that was forgotten as he celebrated Chelsea’s first goal since Marcos Alonso found the target in a thrilling Premier League derby at Arsenal two weeks ago.
Batshuayi’s goal also serves to breathe life into the replay as Norwich were forced to venture forward and play with more risk.
Josh Murphy hit a post with a bouncing volley as Norwich searched for an equaliser and Caballero made a save to thwart James Maddison.
Pedro, at the other end, was booked for a dive as he searched for the second goal and the game ended at a frenzied tempo.
Having ended their goal drought, Chelsea were within seconds of victory before Lewis popped up with an equaliser and took the replay into extra-time. Klose crossed from the right and Lewis glanced a header past Caballero and in off the far post.
Conte, having grumbled long and hard about the fixture schedule, suddenly had another 30 minutes to consider ahead of a return to league action at Brighton on Saturday lunch-time.
As he did in the original tie, the Italian selected his second-string side, making nine changes from Saturday’s draw against Leicester and watched as they created and wasted a cluster of chances.
This has been the problem for Chelsea since the turn of the year and is the driving force behind the manager’s search for an alternative centre forward.
The Premier League champions came into this game on the back of three goalless draws, in three different competitions, a run which started at Carrow Road.
Norwich have spent the time since the first tie trimming their squad with four outgoings completed since the first game and Steven Naismith lining up for an exit to Hearts. Even so, they offered stubborn resistance.
Danny Drinkwater flashed the game’s first effort wide, Tiemoue Bakayoko missed the target with a glancing header from a corner and Willian went close after drifting behind the central defenders.
All this within a dominant opening. David Luiz hit a free-kick straight into the hands of Angus Gunn and Kenedy, deployed as a left wing-back, saw a volley blocked by Ivo Pinto.
Frustration crept up and the home crowd roared for a penalty when Davide Zappacosta hit a shot into Klose. Replays backed the fact the ball had struck him on an arm but it was not deliberate.
Gunn made a terrific save with his fingertips to turn a dipping Drinkwater volley against the bar and the young goalkeeper earned his luck as the ball hit the back of his arms and spun to safety.
Norwich boss Daniel Farke must have dared to dream as his team started the second half with purpose until Batshuayi struck.
The visitors summoned enough of a late threat to persuade Conte to send on some of his first-team stars. Batshuayi came off for Morata, while Ethan Ampadu, having performed with maturity beyond his 17 years, was replaced by Andreas Christensen.
But they could not grab a second goal and Lewis had the final word to force extra-time.