Everton 0-1 Chelsea (1-3 agg)

Classy Cole Goal Puts Chelsea In The Final

Everton 0-1 Chelsea (1-3 agg)

Joe Cole’s magnificent strike gave Chelsea the victory at Goodison Park and set up a Carling Cup final date with Tottenham at Wembley

Chelsea weathered the intense opening spells of the game to produce a level-headed and effective display of controlling football in the second leg of this Carling Cup semi-final.

Avram Grant's side were the better on the night and Joe Cole’s 69th minute super strike earned them victory on the night and a convincing 3-1 aggregate win.

The Blues will now procede to their third Carling Cup final in four seasons, and Tottenham await them at Wembley.

First Half

Goodison Park was positively rocking as kick-off approached in what Evertonians heralded as the club’s biggest game in over a decade.

The Toffees made just one change from the weekend win at Wigan as Manuel Fernandes came in for Hibbert. Phil Neville dropped into the right-back slot and the Portuguese into centre midfield.

For the visitors Wayne Bridge started in place of Ashley Cole and Steve Sidwell replaced Ballack. Contrary to expectation, Shaun Wright-Phillips was deemed fit to start.

Chelsea came close to taking the lead inside three minutes as Phil Jagielka valiantly nodded behind Wright-Phillips’ fierce goalbound drive. Juliano Belletti then curled one over the bar, but every surge forward by the hosts was matched by a roaring bellow from the stands, not least as Joleon Lescott’s header almost skimmed past a diving Petr Cech.

Andy Johnson dragged an effort wide as the game died down and Chelsea assumed control of possession, seemingly having weathered the early storm. Tim Howard in the Everton goal gathered a shot from Nicolas Anelka that Joe Cole almost toe-poked into the net.

The visitors troubled Everton in wide areas but struggled to break down the Toffees’ stubborn resistance around the penalty area. With nowhere to go, Florent Malouda curled a disappointing effort harmlessly high and wide.

But Everton, too, showed a willingness to use width in possession: Arteta’s terrific run down the right played in Johnson whose deflected shot rippled the side-netting. At the other end, Anelka lashed a long shot comfortably wide, the last meaningful action of this tense first half.

Second Half

Chelsea almost took the lead within 45 seconds of the restart. After great trickery from Joe Cole the England man opted to pass rather than shoot: Anelka rifled the ball against the bar; Howard was a beaten man – and a relieved one to see the ball ricochet clear.

With their fans now in full voice, the Blues seemed to sense a goal would virtually seal their spot in next month’s final, really piling the pressure on Everton. Valente did well to block Cole’s strike from a counter attack.

As Tim Cahill dropped back to aid in the midfield battle, Andy Johnson cut an increasingly isolated figure upfront for the home side. But they came close to breaking the deadlock through a well-worked Arteta corner that Neville thundered across goal.

Cech did well to parry and was called into action once more as Jagielka almost back-heeled in Osman’s bobbled shot. The keeper then spilled a cross but was awarded a free-kick before his mistake could be punished – it was hard to see where any infringement against Cech had occurred.

Everton now had the lion’s share of possession, but Chelsea caught them cold and punished them in the 69th minute. A pinpoint diagonal cross from deep from Malouda found Joe Cole, whose control was simply exquisite. Bringing the ball down with an outstretched right foot, he allowed one bounce before smashing a half-volley past a helpless Howard – a majestic strike in front of the watching England boss Capello that put Chelsea firmly in the driving seat.

Everton were shocked, but more heroics from Cech prevented Johnson from nabbing a quick equaliser. The visitors largely stifled Everton’s attempts to draw level as the Toffees’ cause began to look forlorn. Wright-Phillips broke and almost doubled the advantage, while substitute Pizarro fired inches wide. The Peruvian squandered another opportunity when one-on-one with Howard, but it mattered little as Chelsea secured a thoroughly deserved victory.

Chelsea's defence handled everything Everton threw at them, with Carvalho and Cech particularly outstanding, and few could doubt that Avram Grant does indeed care about winning this competition. Tottenham will be Chelsea's opponents in February’s final at Wembley.

Line-ups:

Everton (4-4-2): Howard – Neville, Jagielka, Lescott, Nuno Valente – Arteta, Carsley (Anichebe 70), Fernandes (Vaughan 78), Osman – Johnson, Cahill

Subs not used – Wessels, Hibbert, Stubbs

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech – Belletti, Carvalho, Alex, Bridge – Wright-Phillips, Makalele, Sidwell – J Cole (Pizarro 82), Malouda (A Cole 90) – Anelka (Ben-Haim 90)

Subs not used – Cudicini, Ferreira

Goals:

0-1 J Cole, 69 (Malouda)


Cards:

Yellow: Carsley, Fernandes, Neville, Nuno Valente / Makalele, Belletti