<<Print>>

A dominant display by Chelsea saw them beat Cardiff City 4-1 at Stamford Bridge to progress to the sixth round of the FA Cup. A goal from Didier Drogba in the first half and second half goals from Michael Ballack, Daniel Sturridge and Salomon Kalou ensured Chelsea overcame a stubborn Cardiff side who gave them a scare in the first half. Michael Chopra cancelled out Drogba's first half strike, but the Blues were too strong for the Championship side in the second half and deserved their victory. Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti named a strong side for the fifth round tie but was without captain John Terry who had been given time off to spend time with his family in Dubai. Sturridge and Joe Cole were named in the starting eleven, along with Henrique Hilario in goal, replacing Petr Cech. The Blues made the perfect start to the game inside the first two minutes, when John Obi Mikel chipped a straight ball over the top to Drogba who beat the offside trap before smashing it into the back of the net. After ten minutes Cardiff had two chances in quick succession to get back into the game. A Peter Whittingham free-kick from the left was headed at goal by Anthony Gerrard, but Hilario did well to turn the ball behind. From the resulting corner, Gerrard again got his head to the ball directing it into the path of Chopra, but the striker could only head it over the bar. Since the Chopra chance, Chelsea began to dominate the game, but failed to create any real clear-cut opportunities. Drogba always looked dangerous, at one point trying an audacious ovehead-kick which was saved comfortably by David Marshall in the Cardiff goal. The home side were looking comfortable and just when it looked as if they were going to run away with the game, Cardiff got themselves back into it after 34 minutes. Chris Burke cut in from the left curling a ball in to Chopra who ghosted in behind Alex and had the simple task of heading past Hilario to level the scores. Cardiff were boosted by their equaliser and were causing Chelsea, who looked like they were missing the organisational skills of Terry at the back, problems from set-pieces. Another free-kick from Burke was chipped in towards Jay Bothroyd who got in behind the Blues defence but couldn't test Hilario with his header. Minutes before the break, good build-up play by Chelsea resulted in Sturridge picking the ball up around 25 yards out and letting fly with his left foot, but his effort went narrowly wide of the post and the half ended all square. After a possible rollicking from Ancelotti at half time, the first chance after the interval came for Chelsea from a Drogba free-kick. The Ivory Coast international fizzed it in from the left of the Cardiff box, forcing Marshall to scurry across to his near post to keep the ball out. Minutes later, Chelsea re-took the lead with Drogba involved again playing a sublime chip over the Cardiff defence for Ballack who ran onto the ball before slotting home past Marshall. With the game becoming more open, the home side were looking more and more threatening and just past the hour mark a Chelsea corner found the head of Alex but his effort was blocked on the line by a Cardiff defender. Ancelotti's men continued to pile on the pressure and had a host of corners and free-kicks around the Cardiff box, but the Bluebirds defended well, as Chelsea failed to add to their lead. However, the pressure proved too much for Cardiff and Chelsea finally got the third goal their domination deserved after 69 minutes. Sturridge picked the ball up on the edge off the box playing it into Drogba whose touch bounced nicely back into the youngster's path and he slotted coolly through the legs of Marshall to give his side some breathing space. The goal deflated Cardiff and killed off any hopes they had of getting back into the game. Inside the last ten minutes, Whittingham cut inside from the right before firing an effort at goal, but it was comfortable for Hilario. Chelsea completed their rout in the 86th minute after a nice passing move ended with Paulo Ferreira delivering a ball from the right for substitute Kalou to head home and put the Blues in the hat for the next round.