Chelsea progressed into the EFL Cup quarter-finals through a penalty shoot-out for the second round running with a 4-3 win over Southampton after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
Reece James scored the winning spot-kick against Aston Villa in round three, and it was the right wing-back who netted the decider again against the Saints.
Once more without the injured strike duo of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, Chelsea went ahead through Kai Havertz, but Che Adams hit back early in the second half to cancel out the early lead.
Kepa Arrizabalaga and Fraser Forster both then saved a penalty each in the shoot-out, yet it was ultimately Will Smallbone’s miss that proved costly as the five-time winners progressed.
Chelsea had set the tone when Ross Barkley delivered a teasing corner from which Saul Niguez forced Forster into a fine stop in the sixth minute.
Havertz twice went close before he punctured Southampton’s resolve on the cusp of half-time when a defensive lapse allowed the Germany international to head home Hakim Ziyech’s corner. That lead lasted only two minutes into the second half, however.
Kai Havertz celebrates after scoring the opener for Chelsea against Southampton in a EFL Carabao Cup meeting. | PHOTO: Sebastian Frej/MB Media |
Malang Sarr’s error was pounced upon by Kyle Walker-Peters, whose strike squirmed beyond Kepa and into the path of Adams for a tap-in.
Where Kepa failed at one end, Forster succeeded at the other, preventing Havertz from immediately restoring Chelsea’s lead.
Both goalkeepers had to be at their best in stoppage time to force penalties, Kepa saving from Lyanco and Mohammed Salisu before Forster kept out Sarr’s effort.
Then, Kepa tipped Theo Walcott’s spot-kick onto the post before Forster denied Mason Mount to cancel out Chelsea’s advantage, only for Smallbone to blaze his penalty over, leaving James to coolly settle matters again.
Chelsea won the tie against Southampton on penalties to advance through to the EFL Carabao Cup Quarter finals. | PHOTO: Shaun Botterill/GettyImages |
With his first start since the Aston Villa match, Saul was more than himself, he made quick and successful passes and barely made the errors he made in his first start. Against Southampton, he was unlucky not to find the net as he was always knocking on Fraser Foster’s post with his well-worked shots.
Chelsea is now through to the EFL Carabao Cup quarter-finals but the attention quickly turns back to the Premier League. Thomas Tuchel’s side travels to Newcastle on Saturday in a League meeting at St James’ Park, a place Chelsea does not have good memories in the last few years. This however comes after 7-0 mauling of Norwich City and the Blues will head into this more confident than the hosts. Southampton on their side travel to Vicarage Road to take on Watford on the same day
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