FA Cup: Sturridge Dive The Difference As Chelsea Edge Flat West London Derby (Photos & Highlights)

Alan Duffy

28th, January 2012

4 Comments

By Alan Duffy

Considering all the pre-match hype concerning Anton Ferdinand and John Terry’s long-awaited reacquaintance, you would have thought that the game itself might have fizzled a bit more. However, instead, it was a flat affair, with Juan Mata outstanding out for all the right reasons, and Daniel Sturridge making a name for himself for all the wrong ones.

With The FA having decided to ditch the usual pre-match handshake and therefore sidestep any Terry/Ferdinand shenanigans, it was straight in to the action, with Mata looking the most likely to score. However, the first half was largely bereft of clearcut chances, with only the Spaniard and Joey Barton conjuring up a couple of rare strikes on goal.

The Blues started the second-half well, eager to break the deadlock, with Sturridge going close before the visitors claimed a penalty after the England man was challenged in the box. Referee Mike Dean waved that shout away but soon after he was pointing to the spot when Sturridge dived after the softest of touches in the box from Clint Hill. Mata converted the spot-kick to give Andre Villas-Boas’ charges a 60th minute lead.

With 15 minutes to go, Brazilian dynamo Ramires was stretchered off with suspected knee ligament damage but the Blues held out to earn themselves a spot in the fifth round of the Cup.

Keep eyes and ears peeled over the weekend to see just how many UK media outlets use the word ‘dive’ when referring to Englishman Sturridge’s appalling ‘fall’.

Photos…

Highlights…

Photos: PA

Posted in Chelsea, FA Cup, Photos, QPR, Videos

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4 Comments

  1. Del says:

    Chelsea were lucky to get that penalty, but a replay woulda surely ended in Chelsea going through anyway so I suppose it saved them both playing an extra game.

    Speaking of game numbers, heard on Sky Sports News that Birmingham City have had something like 37 so far this season and they’re still in the FA Cup!
    Busy busy season for Birmingham, their players must be dog tired.

  2. Vans says:

    I dont remeber this kind of reaction when helgusson did it against chelsea in the league to get the winning penalty

  3. SL says:

    QPR had a massively weakened team out there, no Traore, Taarabt, Campbell, Bothroyd, Faurlin or Taiwo and it still needed a player to cheat to win it for them.

  4. Chris says:

    @SL Taarabt, Campbell, Bothroyd ale benchwarmers. Traore isn’t bettar than Hill. And Taiwo could’ve played. You can really count only Faurlin. And Chelsea were without Lampard & Drogba.

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