Monday 1st
April:
Chelsea 1 – 0 Man Utd
Employment in the city of London was finally gained after what
seemed like years in the wilderness of graduate unemployment. The first pay
packet in 3 months meant I could now venture back and forth to SW6 once more.
A week prior to this clash everything looked bleak with
Chelsea trailing 2-0 at Old Trafford and Spurs beating Liverpool, but it all
changed in less than 45 minutes and Mata would have sent us through had it not
been for De Gea’s outstretched foot. Man Utd have already succumbed in cup
competition at the Bridge this season and emulating that Easter Monday would
leave them with a single trophy.
Unlike the previous
goal-filled, end-to-end encounters, the game began like a chess match. Both
sides tentatively probed and a midfield battle began. Each set of fans knew how
important this competition was this year and a trip to Wembley versus City loomed.
After both teams attempted to keep
possession in the first 30 mins a piece of Mata magic would cut open the United
defence. It appeared the little Spaniard had missed the right pass down the
flank but he dinked the ball over the top and onto Demba Ba’s right foot. Ba,
who has settled in nicely at Chelsea, watched it all the way over his shoulder
before hooking it back into the top corner. The hapless Ferdinand and rooted De
Gea could only watched as the ball sailed in.
Later on in the second half we witnessed some magic at the
other end. Hernandez ran off thinking he scored only to be denied from close
range by the amazing reactions of Petr Cech. Cech has been a hero for us over
the past 4 seasons and this is up there with the best saves of all time.
Admittedly we posed little threat in the second half but neither did the
visitors apart from that Chicarito header. A nervy last 20 was seen out and
onto Wembley we go.
No comments:
Post a Comment