A double penalty save by Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson sent his side into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup 4-3 in a shootout after an enthralling encounter with Chelsea yesterday.
A double penalty save by Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson sent his side into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup 4-3 in a shootout after an enthralling encounter with Chelsea yesterday.
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Paul Robinson celebrates the win |
A Benni McCarthy spotkick in the third minute of extra-time looked like being enough to help Rovers win 3-2 before Paulo Ferreira equalised for the Premier League leaders to make it 3-3 and send the match to spot-kicks.
Robinson then saved from Michael Ballack and French youngster Gael Kakuta to win the encounter and so set up a semi-final against Aston Villa.
Earlier goals by Nikola Kalinic and Brett Emerton for Blackburn and Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou for Chelsea set up a thrilling match at Ewood Park.
Kalinic gave the home side an unexpected shock lead after just nine minutes when Pascal Chimbonda threaded a superb delivery through to the Croatian who tapped past Henrique Hilario for a well taken opener.
Meanwhile in the other quarter-final, Carlos Tevez, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Vladimir Weiss were all on target as Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-0 in the yesterday.
After a tense opening period, Tevez put City in front four minutes after the break before Wright-Phillips added a second midway through the second half.
Substitute Weiss then made sure of victory as City moved closer to winning a first major trophy since they won the League Cup in 1976.
Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor was always going to receive plenty of abuse from his old club's fans after the furore of City's 4-2 league win at Eastlands in September.
Adebayor was banned for a challenge on Robin van Persie but escaped censure for celebrating in front of the visiting fans after scoring for his new club.
