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Played
March 6, 2012 7:45 p.m. GMT
St. Andrew's Stadium — Birmingham
Referee: A. Taylor
Attendance: 21822
March 6, 2012 7:45 p.m. GMT
St. Andrew's Stadium — Birmingham
Referee: A. Taylor
Attendance: 21822
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| Birminghan | 5.50 | 4.75 | 6.00 | 71.00 | 5.50 | 6.00 | 100.00 | 6.10 | 5.00 |
| Draw | 3.70 | 3.40 | 3.75 | 41.00 | 3.80 | 4.00 | 20.00 | 3.55 | 3.60 |
| Chelsea | 1.60 | 1.67 | 1.57 | 1.00 | 1.61 | 1.57 | 1.01 | 1.65 | 1.65 |
Top of the Match
Juan Mata
Chelsea FC
Chelsea FC
Fernando Torres
Chelsea FC
Chelsea FC
Flop of the Match
Curtis Davies
Birmingham City
Birmingham City
Guirane N'Daw
Birmingham City
Birmingham City
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Birmingham 0-2 Chelsea: Mata & Meireles on scoresheet as Di Matteo gets off to winning start
The London side progress to the quarter finals of the FA Cup in their first match since the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas, but are made to work hard by the Championship side
By Chris Teale
Chelsea’s first game after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas began with a hard-earned but deserved 2-0 victory over Birmingham City in their FA Cup fifth round replay thanks to goals from Juan Mata and Raul Meireles.
The first half was a very tight affair, with the hard work of the home side preventing Chelsea from playing any flowing football. Neither side could create many clear-cut chances, apart from a superb header from Birmingham’s Nikola Zigic that forced a finger-tip save from Petr Cech.
By contrast, the second half was largely dominated by Chelsea, as the home side could not mount any serious attacks of their own. A superb finish from Juan Mata gave them the lead, before a superb strike from Raul Meireles doubled their advantage.
Despite Mata having a penalty saved by Colin Doyle, the away side held on relatively comfortably to take a 2-0 win, and progress to the next round of the FA Cup.
Birmingham played a strong side, with Zigic getting the start up front and young winger Nathan Redmond also being included from the beginning. However, neither goalscorer from their 2-2 draw against Derby County could find a place in the starting eleven, with Erik Huseklepp not making the matchday squad and Marlon King only named as a substitute.
Meanwhile, Chelsea played a relatively experimental side in interim manager Roberto di Matteo’s first game in charge. John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were all named as substitutes on a strong bench, while Fernando Torres started up front with Salomon Kalou and Mata.
The game began with Chelsea dominating the possession, and Mata getting free in Birmingham’s half, but he dawdled before taking his shot and it was well saved by Doyle.
However, the home side began to have some attacks of their own, with striker Wade Elliott impressing with some superb footwork.
Birmingham were looking very industrious, with young Redmond and Zigic both impressing in the early stages, and the away side were struggling to find any space on the pitch in the face of their opponents’ hard work in the first 20 minutes.
The home side had dominated the opening stages of the first half, but struggled to create any clear-cut shooting opportunities. However, their defence managed to restrict Chelsea, and prevented them from playing any flowing football.
As the first half wore on, the away side began to see more of the possession, but Birmingham had a great chance of their own near the end of the half. A superb cross from Redmond was brilliantly headed towards the goal by Zigic, and it was only kept out by the finger-tips of Cech in the Chelsea goal.
That moment was one of the last notable passages of play in the first half, apart from a superb turn in the penalty area by Torres, but he shot horribly wide with his left foot. The half ended with the scores level at 0-0, a fair reflection of what was a tight half of cup football.
The second half began in a similar fashion, with both sides working hard and looking to make inroads in their opposition’s defence. However, neither side could create any clear-cut chances until the 54th minute, when after a superb run and cross from Ramires caused havoc in the Birmingham penalty area, Mata was there to tuck the ball away and give Chelsea a 1-0 lead.
Having taken the lead, the away side began to increase the tempo of their play, and were soon rewarded again. After some brilliant work on the right by Branislav Ivanovic, he crossed in, and after a lay-off by Ramires, Meireles hit a shot first-time from just outside the penalty area. It flew into the top corner, and gave Chelsea a deserved 2-0 lead in the 59th minute.
The home side had no answer to the now-constant barrage of attacks, and a shell-shocked defence was put under yet more pressure in the 68th minute. After a well-worked one-two between Ivanovic and Torres, the Spaniard was fouled in the penalty area by Guirane N’Daw, who was cautioned for his poor tackle.
A penalty was awarded, and Mata stepped up to take it. However, it was saved well by Birmingham’s Doyle, who kept the score at 2-0 to Chelsea. The save seemed to galvanise both the home side and their supporters, who now had renewed confidence that their team could regain a foothold in the tie.
From then on, the game was more open, as Birmingham looked to surge forward and reduce the deficit. However, they largely struggled to create any chances, with Jordon Mutch spooning a shot over the bar in the 81st minute after a superb ball from second-half substitute Chris Burke.
The home side could not find any openings thanks to some superb Chelsea defence, and they went down to a 2-0 defeat. The visitors now progress into the quarter finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Leicester City at home, the conquerors of Premier League side Norwich City in the previous round.
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The first half was a very tight affair, with the hard work of the home side preventing Chelsea from playing any flowing football. Neither side could create many clear-cut chances, apart from a superb header from Birmingham’s Nikola Zigic that forced a finger-tip save from Petr Cech.
By contrast, the second half was largely dominated by Chelsea, as the home side could not mount any serious attacks of their own. A superb finish from Juan Mata gave them the lead, before a superb strike from Raul Meireles doubled their advantage.
Despite Mata having a penalty saved by Colin Doyle, the away side held on relatively comfortably to take a 2-0 win, and progress to the next round of the FA Cup.
Birmingham played a strong side, with Zigic getting the start up front and young winger Nathan Redmond also being included from the beginning. However, neither goalscorer from their 2-2 draw against Derby County could find a place in the starting eleven, with Erik Huseklepp not making the matchday squad and Marlon King only named as a substitute.
Meanwhile, Chelsea played a relatively experimental side in interim manager Roberto di Matteo’s first game in charge. John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were all named as substitutes on a strong bench, while Fernando Torres started up front with Salomon Kalou and Mata.
The game began with Chelsea dominating the possession, and Mata getting free in Birmingham’s half, but he dawdled before taking his shot and it was well saved by Doyle.
However, the home side began to have some attacks of their own, with striker Wade Elliott impressing with some superb footwork.
Birmingham were looking very industrious, with young Redmond and Zigic both impressing in the early stages, and the away side were struggling to find any space on the pitch in the face of their opponents’ hard work in the first 20 minutes.
The home side had dominated the opening stages of the first half, but struggled to create any clear-cut shooting opportunities. However, their defence managed to restrict Chelsea, and prevented them from playing any flowing football.
As the first half wore on, the away side began to see more of the possession, but Birmingham had a great chance of their own near the end of the half. A superb cross from Redmond was brilliantly headed towards the goal by Zigic, and it was only kept out by the finger-tips of Cech in the Chelsea goal.
That moment was one of the last notable passages of play in the first half, apart from a superb turn in the penalty area by Torres, but he shot horribly wide with his left foot. The half ended with the scores level at 0-0, a fair reflection of what was a tight half of cup football.
The second half began in a similar fashion, with both sides working hard and looking to make inroads in their opposition’s defence. However, neither side could create any clear-cut chances until the 54th minute, when after a superb run and cross from Ramires caused havoc in the Birmingham penalty area, Mata was there to tuck the ball away and give Chelsea a 1-0 lead.
Having taken the lead, the away side began to increase the tempo of their play, and were soon rewarded again. After some brilliant work on the right by Branislav Ivanovic, he crossed in, and after a lay-off by Ramires, Meireles hit a shot first-time from just outside the penalty area. It flew into the top corner, and gave Chelsea a deserved 2-0 lead in the 59th minute.
The home side had no answer to the now-constant barrage of attacks, and a shell-shocked defence was put under yet more pressure in the 68th minute. After a well-worked one-two between Ivanovic and Torres, the Spaniard was fouled in the penalty area by Guirane N’Daw, who was cautioned for his poor tackle.
A penalty was awarded, and Mata stepped up to take it. However, it was saved well by Birmingham’s Doyle, who kept the score at 2-0 to Chelsea. The save seemed to galvanise both the home side and their supporters, who now had renewed confidence that their team could regain a foothold in the tie.
From then on, the game was more open, as Birmingham looked to surge forward and reduce the deficit. However, they largely struggled to create any chances, with Jordon Mutch spooning a shot over the bar in the 81st minute after a superb ball from second-half substitute Chris Burke.
The home side could not find any openings thanks to some superb Chelsea defence, and they went down to a 2-0 defeat. The visitors now progress into the quarter finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Leicester City at home, the conquerors of Premier League side Norwich City in the previous round.
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Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match
Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In GMT
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Jermaine Beckford
Striker Leicester |
6 | 0 |
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Darius Henderson
Striker Millwall |
4 | 1 |
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Juan Mata
Striker Chelsea |
4 | 1 |
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Andy Carroll
Striker Liverpool |
4 | 0 |
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Ramires
Midfielder Chelsea |
4 | 0 |