Chelsea crash out of Carabao Cup 2-1 to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge
BY PAUL LAGAN
Chelsea crashed out of the Carabao Cup 2-1 to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge tonight.
Michy Batshuayi’s second half equaliser was the golden moment for the west Londoners, but United’s Marcus Rashford’s blistering 35-yard free-kick to win the game was the outstanding moment of the tie.
Chelsea were poor for large parts of the game, never quite reaching the heights of recent wins at Ajax and Burnley. United by contrast. You sensed were more than up for the tussle.
they harried, denied space and ultimately took control of he game/
The failure of Chelsea to register a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, at home, will. Be a major concern to head coach Frank Lampard. They showed greater intensity in the second, but ultimately fell short to an extraordinary piece of skill.
Christian Pulisic had the first effort on goal after 10 minutes. His edge if 1penalty area shit was block after excellent set-up play.
Scott McTominay was given a yellow card by referee Paul Tierney for a needless foul on Mateo Kovacic. The midfielder then had a great chance to open the scoring after Daniel James’s corner saw the United man slash a. Ruling right-footer into Kepa’s side-netting.
Marcos Alonso lost their ball on 25 minutes allowing James to race into the area. To try and make up for it, he upended the Wales international to concede a penalty.
Marcus Rashford dispatched the spot-kick with ease to put the visitors 1-0 up.
United dominated the remainder of the half, with Chelsea struggling to get close to the United penalty area, such was the visitors ability to smother their half with players.
There were no changes from either side at half-time.
Hudson-Odoi missed a sitter five minutes after the restart. An Alonso byline cross, the left was met by a free Hudson-Odoi, but he somehow managed to shoot wide of the goal.
Chelsea forced the pace and and Hudson-Odoi again struck a goal-ward shot, this time a half-volley from 25-yards, that dipped just over Sergio Romero’s crossbar.
Sensationally, on 60 minutes Batshuayi levelled for the Blues. He wrong-footed Marcos Rojo, just inside his own half, raced deep into Unite’s before letting fly with a powerful, curling right-footed daisy-cutter, that zipped past Romero’s desperate dive to his left.
Head coach Frank Lampard decided to bring on Mason Mount and Pedro – Billy Gilmour and Pulisic made way.
With their first effort of the half, United retook the lead on 73 minutes with an incredible Marcus Rashford free-kick.
Pedro upended McTominay and the England striker teed up his shot before dipping the ball over the wall and watching it crash past Caballero and thump the back of his net.
It was an unjust lead but an incredible strike.
Tammy Abraham soon left the bench, replacing Batshuayi. But the youngster doesn’t have an effort on goal, as United saw the game out with the ultimate game-lan, a bit of possession, a lot of time-wasting and the ability to break up CHelsea attacks.
Chelsea are away to Watford, on Saturday in the Premier League.
Teams: Chelsea Caballero, Alonso, Jorginho, Zouma, Kovacic, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, Batshuayi, James, Guehi, Gilmour
Subs: Cummings, Abraham, Pedro, Mount, Giroud, Azpilicueta, Lamptey.
Man Utd: Romero, Lindelof, Maguire, Rashford, Rojo, Fred, James, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Williams
Subs: Grant, Jones, Mata, Martial, Pereira, Young, Garner
Referee: Paul Tierney