Kieran Trippier of Newcastle United had a nightmare at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea advanced to the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a penalty shootout.
Newcastle appeared to be through to the final four after Callum Wilson’s 16th-minute goal, until replacement Mykhailo Mudryk pounced on the experienced defender’s blunder deep into stoppage time to send the game to penalties.
The 33-year-old, who has recently struggled with form, then shot Newcastle’s second penalty wide, and after keeper Djordje Petrovic saved Matt Ritchie’s spot-kick, Chelsea had gone from the agony of defeat to the utter ecstasy of a place in the final four.
It was brutal on Trippier, who was a key player under manager Eddie Howe, but his deadly error on a header provided Chelsea with the lifeline that Mudryk happily took.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher, Christopher Nkunku, and Mudryk all scored penalties, but Newcastle’s Callum Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes were the only ones to do so following their Champions League relegation.
The semi-final draw will take place after Liverpool vs. West Ham on Wednesday, with the first leg of those matches taking place in the week beginning January 8th.
Following Mudryk’s equalizer, a male Chelsea fan scaled the advertising hoardings before celebrating in front of and colliding with Newcastle goalie Martin Dubravka.
Before the shootout began, the supporter was escorted back into the crowd, with referee Jarred Gillet speaking to stadium security.
Everton vs Fulham
Tosin Adarabioyo was lauded as a “special player” by Marco Silva after scoring the game-winning penalty as Fulham defeated Everton on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals for the first time.
Centre-back After Idrissa Gueye hit the post, Tosin stepped up and rolled home to bring the Cottagers into their first domestic semi-final in 22 seasons.
Silva’s men opened the season with a smash-and-grab win at Goodison Park, and they returned to London winners.
“He is a key player for us, one of the leaders in our dressing room and we need them to step in,” Silva told the club’s press conference.
“He didn’t play for us for the first three months of the season, but he’s a special player.” He can defend the box and build the manner I want him to on the ball.
“He’s getting better and better, and he put on a great show tonight.” He deserves full credit for being able to take the decisive penalty.”
The first goal came four minutes before halftime, and it was an own goal by Michael Keane, who diverted the ball into his own net from Antonee Robinson’s cross.
The hosts could have responded immediately, but James Tarkowski was unable to make a hard enough connection on James Garner’s free-kick and turned his headed effort wide.
Everton sought an equalizer in the second half, and Jack Harrison fizzed a long-range effort just wide before replacement Beto headed in from close range with nine minutes remaining.
The game went to penalties, with Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s effort saved by Jordan Pickford and Amadou Onana’s feeble effort saved by Bernd Leno, before Tosin enthralled the travelling spectators.
The semi-finals will be drawn on Wednesday, with the first leg taking place in the week beginning January 8th.
BBC Sport.