FULL TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Chelsea
Chelsea simply possessed too much quality for Wolves to cope with in the long run, though the home side gave as good as they got in the first half. A fine team goal polished off by Pedro, and a clinical finish from the dependably brilliant Diego Costa has earned Antonio Conte’s side a deserved quarter-final berth. It wasn’t a classic, but Chelsea won’t care: the Double is still very much on!
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90 min +2: Loftus-Cheek and Ake combine down the inside-left channel to win a corner. A 0-3 scoreline would be cruel on Wolves. Chelsea faff about, so no worries on that front.
90 min +1: Chelsea manipulate that clock with some midfield possession.
90 min: There will be three added minutes.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Chelsea (Diego Costa 89)
Doherty has a dribble into the Chelsea box down the left. But he’s stripped of possession by Kante. Chelsea wander up the other end, and fritter time away in the Wolves half. Suddenly Kante bustles down the inside-right channel and lays off for Fabregas, who finds Diego Costa on the spot. Costa swivels and lashes a fierce shot into the bottom left. Chelsea are in the quarter-finals alongside Lincoln City, Millwall and Middlesbrough!
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88 min: They do eventually take it, though. And Zouma gets his head on the ball, eight yards out. His poor effort goes well wide left.
87 min: Moses goes on a lazy dribble down the right, eating up the clock and eventually winning a corner. Tick, tock. Chelsea are in no rush to take it.
86 min: Loftus-Cheek comes on for Hazard.
85 min: Saiss takes a shot from nearly 40 yards! There’s ambition, and then there’s ambition. And it nearly costs his side. His shot is blocked, Chelsea break through Diego Costa, and Fabregas has the chance to shoot from 12 yards. He should score, but fair’s fair, it’s Saiss who has tracked all the way back and deflects Fabregas’s effort wide left. The resulting corner is a waste of time, and that’s good enough for Chelsea.
84 min: A last roll of the dice by Paul Lambert. He replaces Bodvarsson and Saville with Saiss and Ronan.
82 min: Hazard switches play to release Ake into acres down the left. If Ake looks up, he’ll spot Diego Costa ready to spring clear in the middle. But he doesn’t. He hogs the ball, the chance is gone, and steam pours out of Costa’s ears.
81 min: And that’s Willian’s final contribution tonight. He’s hooked in favour of Kante, and takes an age to depart in the professional style.
79 min: It’s Willian versus Hause II. Fabregas spots Willian free down the middle. He quarterbacks a glorious pass to set Willian free. Willian takes a touch and prepares to shoot as he enters the area. But Hause comes across to nudge him off the ball with his shoulder, more fine defending.
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78 min: For a split second, it looks as though Willian has prised Wolves open down the middle. He drives towards the box, but Hause shepherds him out to the right, and the danger is gone. That’s superlative defending. Wolves go straight up the other end, Wilson’s first contribution sending Bodvarsson away down the right. The striker earns a corner, but nothing comes of the set piece.
76 min: Weimann is replaced by the 19-year-old Donovan Wilson.
74 min: Azpilicueta comes on for the goalscoring hero Pedro.
73 min: Fabregas pitching-wedges a lovely pass down the right, releasing Moses into the area. Moses should shoot when clear, but hesitates slightly and his eventual effort is blocked. Moses would be a superlative player if he just had a little more belief in himself.
71 min: Wolves should take heart from this, though. Bodvarsson makes good down the right and floats a dangerous cross into the Chelsea area. There are three old-gold shirts in the centre, but Zouma wins the battle of the eyebrows, and flicks away from danger. Still, there’s proof that Chelsea can still be troubled at the back. But the clock is not their friend. And if they make another slip at the back ... well, Diego Costa very nearly breaks clear down the right, but he’s flagged offside. That was borderline.
69 min: Chelsea, to a man, look a foot taller and a yard quicker. The goal’s lifted them as it’s visibly deflated the hosts. The rollocking atmosphere has been somewhat punctured, too.
67 min: Batth was booked for that skirmish with Diego Costa, incidentally. Not a good couple of minutes for the home side.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Chelsea (Pedro 65)
Oh this is a glorious team goal. Diego Costa reaches the byline down the right. He cuts back for Hazard to the right of the D. Hazard lays off to Willian. He crosses deep for Pedro, who at full pelt guides a header into the bottom left. That was right out of the top drawer. They’re not leading the Premier League for nothing.
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64 min: Moses cuts in from the right and sends a weak shot straight at Ikeme. The real action is going on back upfield, where earlier in the move Batth and Diego Costa continued their running feud. They half-slap each other in the comedic style. The referee can’t be bothered to acknowledge it.
62 min: A free kick for Wolves, deep on the left, and an chance to fill the Chelsea box. Helder Costa hoicks it long, towards the right-hand post. Batth rises and connects, but not with any great conviction, and Begovic claims. Chelsea go straight up the other end, Diego Costa running Batth this way and that down the inside-right channel. Batth goes to ground, allowing Costa a free shot from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. You’d expect him to finish, but instead he slams a poor effort into the side netting. He trudges back up the pitch looking pained.
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60 min: Fabregas sprays a wonderful ball wide right for Moses, who takes it down beautifully on the touchline and makes towards the box with great intent. It looks as though he’ll break into the area and get a shot away, but suddenly he seems to lose his confidence and checks a bit, allowing Weimann to hustle him out of it. But some of Moses’ touches tonight have been glorious.
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58 min: Chelsea are dominating possession now - 75% in the last five minutes - with Wolves penned back in their final third. But they’re not creating too much. Wolves keep their shape, and eventually Zouma gets fed up. The defender has a dig from 25 yards, and the ball flies 25 yards over the bar.
56 min: ... Pedro has a dig from the best part of 30 yards. Nope! But full marks for ambition.
55 min: Hazard goes skittering down the left wing. Near the corner flag, he’s kicked - clumsily, rather than maliciously - by Coady. Free kick. It’s effectively a corner, and it comes to nothing. But Chelsea come again, Moses sashaying down the right and shooting from 20 yards. It’s deflected out for a corner on the right. From which...
53 min: Chelsea finally spring into life. Moses makes good down the right and cuts the ball back for Chalobah, whose first-time snap-shot from the edge of the box is blocked.
51 min: Costa takes the free kick himself. He hits it long and deep, towards Hause at the far post. Zouma manages to head it clear, but then Moses gives the ball away, allowing Bodvarsson to run at Zouma down the left. Bodvarsson crosses into empty space, letting Chelsea off the hook. But this isn’t a particularly impressive start to the second half from the Premier League leaders. Wolves look more up for it right now.
49 min: Helder Costa drops a shoulder to scoot past Pedro down the right. Pedro is booked for a cynical trip. A free kick for Wolves in a dangerous position. A chance to load the box, certainly.
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48 min: Otherwise, the start to the half has been pretty scrappy.
47 min: A dreadful throw by Pedro, deep in his own half, gives Helder Costa the opportunity to skitter down the right wing. He reaches the by-line but his low cross is hacked clear by Terry. A bright start to the half by the home side, though.
And we’re off again! No changes. Chelsea get the ball rolling for the second period.
Half-time raffle: Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win! Win!
HALF TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Chelsea
Helder Costa tears down the right and wins a corner off Terry, though it should have been a goal kick. Terry is beyond livid. Unhappily for those who enjoy tedious controversies, the corner comes to nothing, and that’s that for the first half. A lot of fun, with both teams going for it. Wolves are more than holding their own against the Premier League champions-to-be. It promises to be a fine second half, one way or another. No flipping!
45 min +1: Moses drops a shoulder and wheechs past Weimann on the right. His hard, low cross finds Diego Costa, on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. The ball’s a tad behind the striker, and though Costa contorts his body to get a sidefoot goalwards, he can only send it wide and high.
45 min: There will be two additional minutes to this first half.
44 min: Edwards and Price shuttle the ball left to right, releasing Helder Costa down the wing. Costa cuts back and, at the second attempt, gets a cross in. Terry is on hand to clear.
42 min: Chalobah sprays a fine ball wide left for Pedro, who earns a corner off Coady. But the set piece isn’t brilliant, and Edwards clears with ease. Chelsea try to come back at Wolves with some crisp triangular passing, but the home team are still pressing with verve and passion, and eventually the move breaks down.
40 min: Coady, Edwards and Helder Costa combine well down the right. There’s time for Coady to tease a cross into the Chelsea box. Terry blasts it clear, and Chelsea are off on the break. It’s Willian, Diego Costa and Hazard versus a couple of all-gold shirts; relief floods around Molineux as Hazard plays a loose ball to let the home team off the hook. No goals yet, but what an enjoyable, open game.
37 min: A fine battle in the midfield between Price and Diego Costa. The Wolves man wins the tussle, and sends Saville zipping down the left. The resulting cross is no good. But Wolves continue to impress, and on their own terms too; it’s not as though Chelsea are playing badly.
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35 min: This is a lot better from Weimann, though. His clever no-eyes reverse pass down the left releases Doherty out of a hectic pocket. Doherty reaches the byline and creams a delightful cross through the six-yard box. For some reason, Bodvarsson doesn’t really bother jumping. He should have, because he was only six yards out, and would surely have planted a header home. Wolves have had their chances against the English champions-elect.
33 min: Weimann is booked for a hilarious forward’s challenge on Willian. A sliding tackle which is late, clumsy and nowhere near the ball. He’d have a right cheek arguing about that one, so he doesn’t bother.
32 min: And now a free kick for Wolves up the other end, on the right. Helder Costa swings it deep, and Batth nearly connects with a boot, sliding in at the far post. But he can’t guide the ball goalwards, and in any case the offside flag goes up. It’s not quite sparking into life, this match. But it might not take much. There’s promise.
30 min: Corner for Chelsea down the left. Fabregas whips it into the mixer. Ikeme comes through a crowd to punch clear, despite intense pressure from Ake and Terry. He’s awarded a free kick by the referee, because that’s what happens, even though it looked like a fair contest all round.
29 min: Chelsea ping it around the front of the Wolves box awhile. Eventually Moses has a shot from the right-hand corner of the area. It’s deflected off the leg of Doherty, and sails harmlessly into the arms of Ikeme.
28 min: Edwards earns himself a little space 30 yards from the Chelsea goal with a clever turn and drop of the shoulder. Instead of an ambitious shot, he lays off to Helder Costa on his right. Costa cuts inside and curls a fine shot towards the bottom right. Begovic is behind it all the way.
26 min: Fabregas hoicks a high ball down the right. Moses kills it stone dead, and tears towards the goal from a tight-ish angle. He zips past Weimann, but the Wolves man tracks back well and, as Moses shapes to shoot, gets a block in. The ball bounces back off Weimann, onto Moses, and out for a goal kick. Moses probably should have done better, but what a first touch.
24 min: Fabregas tries to send Diego Costa clear down the inside-right channel. Batth comes across and shepherds the ball back to Ikeme. He tangles with Costa in doing so. Both players take turns to stick their hands in the other’s face. Baath goes down clutching his eye, and doesn’t accept Costa’s hand of friendship when it’s offered. This old-school battle could provide a lot of entertainment this evening.
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22 min: Saville busies himself to win a corner down the left. The set piece is hit long for Hause, who heads harmlessly wide right. This has been a good see-saw battle so far, with both sides effervescent in attack.
20 min: Wolves still have Chelsea pinned back in their final third. Coady crosses from the right. Saville nearly gets a head on it. Weimann contests a 50-50 with Ake, who barges him off the ball from the side. Wolves want the penalty kick, but that was a fair side-to-side challenge. Willian threatens to break dangerously, so Saville pulls him back, taking a booking for the team.
18 min: Good work from Bodvarsson, who works the left flank, pulls Zouma out of position, and pulls back for Doherty, who earns a corner. Begovic powerfully punches the set piece clear, but Wolves keep the box loaded and Chelsea pinned back. Coady, who has looked impressive on the right so far, loops yet another cross into the area. Edwards tries to guide a header goalwards, but his effort is well wide of the target.
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15 min: Willian, in the centre circle, sprays a pass down the middle to release Hazard. Ikeme is wise to the grift, and comes out of his area to beat Hazard to the ball and hoof clear. Chelsea are beginning to look pretty dangerous.
14 min: Saville and Diego Costa clashed heads at the aforementioned corner, by the way. Both players are given the once-over, and are able to continue.
12 min: Fabregas caresses a glorious ball down the inside-right channel to release Willian into the Wolves box. He’s one on one with Ikeme, and should really score, but doesn’t get enough purchase on his little dink over the outrushing keeper, who parries. Willian works to earn a corner, which comes to nothing. This game could, probably should, be 1-1. As it is, we’re still goalless. But it’s a bright, breezy, open match, and very enjoyable so far.
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11 min: Chelsea have allowed themselves to be harried and hurried during the early exchanges, but there are signs they’re working their way into a groove now. Fabregas is pinging passes hither and yon from deep, quite the quarterback, Pedro is buzzing on the left, while Moses is offering power and pace down the right. Wolves watch out.
9 min: Of course, a livid Diego Costa is a supremely effective Diego Costa. Will Wolves live to regret baiting him?
7 min: Batth and Diego Costa come together as the pair contest a ball sent down the Chelsea inside right. The Chelsea striker falls to the floor. He’s been clipped accidentally from behind by Baath, and should get a free kick just outside the box. But he doesn’t get the decision. Costa leaps up and springs around in a glorious fury like Zebedee. Time for tantrum! He is fuming. He’s in the right, of course, but the referee has to quietly tell him to simmer down.
5 min: Wolves hit the post, though they should be in the lead! Coady, from a deep position on the right, swings another ball into the Chelsea box. Zouma panics underneath it, swiping at fresh air and letting it clank off his thigh, to Saville, free on the penalty spot! He has to score. He has to. But he slices his shot slightly, and although there’s plenty of power in it, the ball balloons off the left-hand upright and away. What a chance!
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4 min: Pedro embarks on a scamper down the left, and is knocked to the floor. The resulting free kick doesn’t lead to much, because Wolves are hunting in packs and disrupting Chelsea’s passing game.
2 min: Coady bursts down the right and whips a high cross into the area. Begovic tips over the bar with Weimann hovering menacingly. The resulting corner comes to nothing, but Wolves have started very briskly.
And we’re off! A paint-blistering atmosphere at Molineux. A full house. Hi-ho Wolverhampton. The home side get the ball rolling, and send it sailing out of play within 12 seconds. But Chelsea haven’t woken up yet, and from the resulting throw nearly allow Bodvarsson to bustle through the middle. Zouma gets in a crucial block, and the danger is over.
The teams are out! Wolverhampton Wanderers are in their world-famous old-gold shirts. Chelsea face them in their equally storied blue. Two strips of old-school perfection. Can Wolves pay Chelsea back for taking the English title off their hands in 1955? That’ll be what’s uppermost in their minds, right? We’ll be off in a minute!
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Antonio Conte speaks! “The Lincoln result is the beauty of the FA Cup. In England, there is no easy game in the cup. It does not exist. We know the difficulty of the game. We want to go into the next round, but we know this game will be very tough. I have tried to make the best choices with my team. It will be very important to fight until the end, and try to win the trophy.”
Paul Lambert speaks! “I thought Chelsea might have changed a bit more! But they’re still top class, they’re a top side. We’ve earned the right to play them, and we won’t change what we’ve done in the ties against Stoke and Liverpool. We’ll do our best, try to take Chelsea out of their comfort zone. We might cause them a little bit of trouble on the counter. We need to go over the top of them. I don’t think we can play in front of them.”
Wolves have lost three on the bounce, so it’s no wonder Paul Lambert has shaken things up a bit. He’s made five changes to the starting XI sent out here against Wigan last Tuesday. Out go Richard Stearman, Lee Evans, Connor Ronan, Ben Marshall and Bright Enobakhare; in come Conor Coady, Kortney Hause, George Saville, Jack Price and Andreas Weimann.
Chelsea have gone a couple better, making seven changes from the side named at Burnley last Sunday. Resting up: Thibaut Courtois, Marcos Alonso, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic; the only men left standing are Pedro, Diego Costa, Victor Moses and Eden Hazard. In come Asmir Begovic, Nathan Ake, Kurt Zouma, Cesc Fabregas, Nathaniel Chalobah, Willian and the club captain John Terry.
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The teams
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Ikeme, Coady, Batth, Hause, Doherty, Price, Saville, Helder Costa, Edwards, Weimann, Bodvarsson.
Subs: Stearman, Evans, Enobakhare, Saiss, Burgoyne, Ronan, White.
Chelsea: Begovic, Zouma, Terry, Ake, Moses, Chalobah, Fabregas, Pedro, Willian, Costa, Hazard.
Subs: Kante, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Batshuayi, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Eduardo.
Referee: Jonathan Moss (County Durham).
Evening all!
Wolverhampton Wanderers have won the FA Cup four times. Though it’s been a while: their last two successes were under the yoke of Stan Cullis, a long time ago now. Another triumph - which would erase the memory of being given the bird by bored punters after beating Blackburn Rovers in the beyond-dull 1960 final - is long overdue. Having already registered one of the shocks of this year’s tournament by beating Liverpool at Anfield, Wolves are within their rights to dream.
Problem is, they face runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea at Molineux this evening. And the champions-elect, unencumbered by European commitments this season, don’t need to make wholesale changes. The Blues have also got recent history on their side: they beat Wolves 6-0 in the League Cup in their last encounter in 2012; they won on their last visit to Molineux, 2-1 in the league in 2012; and they’ve put 29 goals past Wolves in seven matches since the turn of the millennium, a rate of over four a game.
Still, this is the cup, a trophy that’s always been full to the brim with magic. Don’t let them tell you otherwise. So anything is possible. Will Chelsea stroll to victory, as expected? Or will the Wolves register another seismic shock? It’s going to be fun finding out. It’s on!
Kick off: 5.30pm.
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