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Chelsea ended Newcastle United’s hopes of reaching back-to-back EFL Cup finals with a 4-2 penalty shootout victory.
Callum Wilson’s solo goal appeared to render 90 minutes of Chelsea pressure futile, but Mykhaylo Mudryk was the Blues’ hero of the hour, forcing spot kicks deep into second-half injury time.
While the hosts were flawless from 12 yards, Kieran Trippier, who was responsible for Mudryk’s equalizer, blazed his penalty wide before Djordje Petrovic denied Matt Ritchie, propelling Mauricio Pochettino’s side into the final four and leaving Eddie Howe’s troops disappointed.
Both managers resisted the temptation to make a slew of changes, but Pochettino was nearly the happier of the two coaches in the seventh minute, when Conor Gallagher crashed a curling strike from just outside the box off the bar.
The Blues continued to probe without much success against the Magpies’ compact backline, and the visitors quickly turned defence into attack to take the lead in the 16th minute, albeit thanks to a Chelsea blunder.
Wilson latched onto the ball deep in his own half after Moises Caicedo failed to control a pass from Levi Colwill, and despite being squared up to by Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile, the Englishman forced his way through both before finishing calmly outside the area.
Badiashile appeared to have done enough to get Silva released, but a terrible howler from the Frenchman saw him inadvertently prod the ball back into Wilson’s path, though Newcastle were soon on the back foot again.
Within two minutes, Raheem Sterling fired just wide of the Newcastle goal before getting a second bite at the cherry from Gallagher’s cutback, but Bruno Guimaraes was on point with his positioning to deny the Englishman’s goal-bound strike, roaring to the Magpies fans behind the goal after taking the ball in the unmentionables.
Chelsea vs Newcastle United | EFL Cup Quarter- Finals
Chelsea’s flow was then briefly disrupted by an enforced withdrawal, as Enzo Fernandez was taken off for Armando Broja in the 32nd minute; the Albanian striker had the ball in the net just six minutes after coming on, but he was correctly denied by the offside flag.
Both Howe and Pochettino opted for fresh legs at full-back in the second half, bringing in Malo Gusto, Trippier, and Dan Burn, but Newcastle’s injury crisis worsened when Anthony Gordon hobbled off just six minutes after the restart.
Nicolas Jackson dragged a shot wide in the 55th minute, just one moment before Martin Dubravka got down low to deny Sterling an equalizer.
In the 69th minute, Nkunku finally made his anticipating Chelsea debut, and he made an immediate impact.
In the 75th minute, Sterling should have poked the ball across to Nkunku for a clear sight of goal, but the Englishman slightly overcooked his pass and the chance went begging.
The hosts’ pressure remained relentless, and Tino Livramento came perilously close to heading the ball into his own net in the 87th minute – just about turning the ball behind for a corner – but Chelsea’s efforts would finally bear fruit in added time.
There was no blue shirt to latch onto Gusto’s inviting cross into the area, but when a befuddled Trippier failed to head the ball back to Dubravka, an alert Mudryk capitalised on the right-back’s gaffe to send the quarter-final to penalties.
A supporter invaded the field to celebrate in Dubravka’s face before Mudryk reacted furiously to a needless Guimaraes barge on Ian Maatsen, and Chelsea would kick first in front of the away end.
Carabao Cup | Quater-Finals
Trippier’s nightmare evening continued as he fizzed his strike wide after successful conversions from Cole Palmer, Wilson, and Gallagher, before Nkunku, Guimaraes, and Mudryk all held their nerve.
Ritchie went for power as he aimed for the top corner. However, Petrovic sprang to his left and produced a stunning stop to punch the Blues’ ticket to the last four, where they will be joined by Fulham, Middlesbrough, and either Liverpool or West Ham United in tomorrow’s draw.
In the Premier League, Newcastle looks to get back against Luton Town on Christmas Eve, while Chelsea takes on Wolves.
