Chelsea 2 - 1 Everton

Definitely a semi-final to remember as both teams gave their all for a day out at Wembley.

Chelsea began like they meant business and almost caught the visitor’s unfamiliar side out early on but Wright-Philips shot sailed high and wide.

Everton were playing very deep and couldn’t get going as Chelsea were linking up brilliantly and looking dangerous with every attack. The Toffee’s were defending with their usual doggedness though and were keeping the home sides shots to a minimum.

Everton were just starting to come in to it when on 25mins Wright-Philips got the ball in an acre of space on the edge of the box(following Cahill’s abandonment of his defensive duties), was allowed to turn and bent a beautiful shot in by the far post to give Chelsea a deserved lead.

It looked like they were going to put the tie out of site as they continued to apply pressure. Ballack coming within inches from a free-kick on 28mins the best of the chances in another period of flowing passing and movement form Chelsea.

Everton gradually began battling their way in to it more and more. McFadden and Johnson getting more involved in the stead of their usual playmakers Arteta and Pienaar.

Their best move of the half released Lescott on the left only for the full-back to put his cross too close to Hilario with 3 Everton attackers lurking.

Chelsea were winning the key midfield battles particularly Wright-Philips in his free role escaping Carsley at will whilst Mikel wasn’t giving a deep-lying Johnson much room to manoeuvre at the other end.

Chelsea began the second half similar to the first as they again had Everton’s defence stretched. But on 54mins the game changed dramatically when Mikel was harshly given a straight red for showing his studs in a tackle with Neville.

Everton got an immediate lift from their sudden numerical advantage and kept themselves on the fornt foot as Chelsea struggled to re-organise.

Still though, Pizarro should’ve added to the home side’s lead minutes later when he was though on goal but failed to get his shot past Howard.

Everton’s pressure mounted and on 63mins they had something to show for it. McFadden’s fre-kick was knocked down by Yobo into the path of Yakubu and the in-form striker dispatched an excellent volley into the top left-hand corner.

This spurred the away side on even more as they really began taking the game to Chelsea. On 68mins Yakubu’s clever backheel played in McFadden, who rounded Carlvalho and Hilario only for his shot to clip the post.

The high tempo continued as Chelsea fought their way back into the game as the tackles were coming thick and fast. It was end-to-end, pulsating football with Chelsea beginning to find themselves with the initiative late on.

Everton looked resolute in defence with Lescott and Yobo beyond reproach. However, during a late push against a deep Everton defence, Ballack hooked the ball over his head and into the box. Lescott challenged Wrigth-Philips at the far post but ended up putting the ball into his own net making it 2-1 on 92mins.

But the game wasn’t finished as Everton feeling hard-done-by bombed forward. On 94mins Lescott could have made up for his error when McFadden put him one on one with Hilario but the defender failed to control his shot as Hilario rushed out to save.

Great drama and entertainment for the neutral but a sickener for Everton