FA Cup: Five-star Chelsea set up Liverpool final

Chelsea set up an FA Cup final against Liverpool after putting Tottenham to the sword with a 5-1 win, but were helped by a goal which should never have been given.

Juan Mata put the Blues two up after the break in hugely controversial circumstances with referee Martin Atkinson awarding the goal despite replays showing the Spaniard's shot did not cross the line.

But that slice of luck could not detract from Chelsea's superiority.

Didier Drogba scored his seventh goal at Wembley to put the Blues ahead and, even though an incensed Spurs pulled one back straight after Mata's second through Gareth Bale, a cool finish from Ramires, a blistering 30-yard free-kick from Frank Lampard, and a late fifth from Florent Malouda wrapped up a huge win for the west London club and piled yet more misery on Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

Carroll heroics book FA Cup final date
Andy Carroll went from zero to hero again on Saturday as Liverpool produced a second-half comeback to beat Everton 2-1 and reach the FA Cup final.

The much-maligned record signing went some way to justifying his huge price with a goal which put his side into their first FA Cup final since 2006 and ended the dreams of Everton in the all-Merseyside encounter at Wembley.

The £35 million striker had endured a testing afternoon, heading one straightforward chance wide, but came up with the winner four minutes from time at Wembley.

Everton had earlier gone ahead following a first-half defensive blunder which gave Nikica Jelavic a simple chance. Luis Suarez levelled matters in the second half following another defensive howler.


Content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.