Chelsea claw back Man United leads to claim stunning victory

IT IS doubtful that a Capital One Cup victory could fully compensate for the burning sense of injustice harboured by Chelsea after Sunday's bitter defeat to the same foe.

But an amazing win like this has surely helped soften the blow. Their reward, if it can be called that, is a quarter-final tie at Leeds.

The evening looked set to provide another heavy dose of disappointment, with Chelsea paying the price for a slow start and some abject defending by gifting two goals.

But somehow, Roberto Di Matteo's men clawed back from the brink – equalising for a third time in stoppage time before bagging a win in extra-time - Daniel Sturridge and Ramires seeing United off.

There was even time for a late Ryan Giggs penalty to keep the tension levels high to the very end.

In the end, there might not have been quite as many goals as in the previous night's heady 12-goal encounter between Reading and Arsenal, but it could have run it close given all the chances created on another night of breathless exchanges.

Sturridge's decisive strike came when an attempt at a headed backpass by Michael Keane fell into the Chelsea striker's path and he jinked around the keeper before rolling the ball home.

But the Blues needed some luck to get to extra-time, when another rookie defender, Scott Wotton, obligingly brought down Ramires in the final minute of normal time and Eden Hazard tucked the spot-kick home.

The first half an hour looked none too promising, as United stroked the ball around with alarming ease.

Sir Alex Ferguson had made the wholesale changes expected with no Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand or Robin van Persie, among other first teamers, and yet the Blues were still the ones looking like the second string away side.

They were relieved to see only long distance shots fired in at Petr Cech during a humbling opening, but hopes they might get away with it evaporated after a schoolboy blunder by the keeper.

Cech rolled a suicidal pass out to Oriol Romeu on the edge of the box, who was hemmed in and under pressure. Anderson whipped the ball off him in a trice and Ryan Giggs' left foot did the rest.

David Luiz calmed the nerves by levelling from the spot on 32 minutes after Victor Moses had been upended by Alex Buttner, but soon it was Luiz's turn to gift a goal.

The Brazilian made one those headless chicken charges upfield that he cannot resist, running into a block tackle from Rafael that suddenly opened up a gaping hole in the Blues' defence.

Anderson needed no second invitation, playing a perfect angled ball to Hernandez, who burst forward and dispatched the ball past Cech emphatically.

After the break, sub Nick Powell rifled in a low shot that Cech only just managed to turn aside, but the Blues were back on level terms after 52 minutes.

Gary Cahill rose highest to meet a Juan Mata corner and headed into the top corner – a clearing header from Rafael to no avail as the right-back was correctly spotted as being behind the line.

With Ramires and Hazard now off the bench, there was colour back in the cheeks, but the feelgood factor was all too brief.

Just seven minutes later, United were back in front when Nani dinked superbly over Cech, having played a one-two with Anderson to expose the Chelsea keeper.

“Time to blame the referee,” taunted the Manchester fans packing the old Shed End.

They also chorused the name of Mark Clattenburg – the official Chelsea believe cost them the points in the league encounter, and who is now subject to a complaint for making an allegedly racist comment towards John Obi Mikel.

Mata refused to accept the inevitability of defeat and laid on a chance on a plate for Cesar Azpilicueta, what the defender headed over from three yards, while Moses rifled a low shot at keeper Anders Lindegaard.

Fears it would again end in tears grew when ref Lee Mason waved away vociferous penalty appeals after Keane had apparently handled a Mata chip in the area.

But the Blues eventually did win a penalty – and find a way to finally get their noses in front.

And they added a fifth for good measure in the 117 ^th minute, as Ramires profited from Hazard's breakaway run to waltz around Lindegaard.

In the end, that second goal provide important insurance after the drama of another penalty at the death – this time for United.

Line up: Cech; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand; Mikel (Ramires h/t), Mata, Romeu (Oscar 72); Moses, Sturridge, Piazon (Hazard 55). Subs not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Marin, Saville.

Attendance: 41,126