Sunderland 2 - Chelsea 1: Blues sent packing by fearsome Black Cats

SOUTH KOREAN Sung-Yueng Ki sent Chelsea crashing out of the Cup with a brilliant winner in the dying minutes of extra-time last night.

Ki proved to be Sunderland's hero as he scored the winner against a tepid Chelsea side [REUTERS]

Ki cut inside the penalty box and delivered an accomplished finish for his first ever Sunderland goal to cap a stunning comeback for the Wearside club.

Fabio Borini, on loan from Liverpool, had equalised two minutes from the end of normal time, making no mistake from a tight angle to send the game into a thrilling final 30 minutes.

But he had a chance to settle the tie earlier, a brilliant challenge by Gary Cahill robbed him just yards from a glaring goalmouth.

Chelsea had clung on desperately to a 1-0 lead gifted to them by a Lee Cattermole own-goal in the first minute of the second half.

Incredibly, it was the sixth time a Sunderland player has scored an own-goal this season.

New goal-line technology, which was introduced this week for the first time in domestic cup football, rubber-stamped Cattermole’s goal and, although Jose Mourinho’s side were well below par in the first half, after the break they missed several glaring chances to extend their lead.


History suggested Sunderland were huge underdogs going into last night’s last-eight tie as the Blues had not lost on Wearside since going down 1-0 in October 2000.

Mind you, only a few week’s ago Mourinho’s side travelled to the North-east and were fortunate to return to the capital with a 4-3 victory.

Gus Poyet’s team could also seek some solace from the fact that the last two times they had beaten Chelsea in cup competitions they had gone on to reach Wembley, in 1985 and 1992.

Ashley Cole made a rare starting appearance for the visitors in his usual left-back berth, while the player who has replaced him, Cesar Azpilicueta, lined up on the opposite flank as Mourinho made eight changes from the side which squeezed past Crystal Palace on Saturday.

All the early incisive moves came from the visitors, although they were restricted to long-range efforts from Willian and Andre Schurrle, who both tested keeper Vito Mannone.

Frank Lampard also tried his hand from distance, but his effort sailed over the bar while, at the other end, Adam Johnson’s cross eventually fell to Craig Gardner, but he delayed too long.

Sunderland had not really troubled the Chelsea defence but, just after the half hour mark, Andrea Dossena’s cross appeared to strike Azpilicueta on the elbow yet, despite furious appeals, referee Anthony Taylor refused to award a spot-kick with TV replays suggesting Sunderland were hard done by.

Chelsea led the match until two late goals ensured Sunderland's progression at the Stadium of Light [REUTERS]

The referee then booked a player from each side, David Luiz and Dossena, both for body checks, before Wes Brown uncharacteristically gave the ball away deep in Sunderland’s own half and the visitors nearly made him pay as Lampard found Willian in space on the right flank, but the winger’s fierce shot whistled across the face of Mannone’s goal.

Brown made another mistake shortly afterwards, gifting Samuel Eto’o the ball, but the former Manchester United defender raced back and retrieved possession, with Chelsea claiming their striker had been pushed in the process.

Sunderland managed their first proper shot just a minute before the break, but Giaccherini’s drive from 30 yards flew high and wide of the mark.

After just 39 seconds of the restart Cattermole unluckily broke the deadlock, via the new goal-line technology.

Azpilicueta’s cross from the right was met by Lampard at the far post, but just as the Chelsea stalwart looked certain to score, Cattermole nipped in and bundled the ball past his own keeper.

Lampard turned away in celebration, but TV replays indicated Cattermole had got the final touch.

But it was Ki, on loan from Swansea who had the final say to take his side into the semi-finals.

SUNDERLAND (4-5-1): Mannone; Dossena, Brown, O’Shea, Celustka; Larsson, Gardner (Ki 63), Cattermole, Giaccherini, Johnson (Borini 74); Altidore. Booked: Dossena. Goals: Borini 88, Ki 118.

CHELSEA (4-5-1): Schwarzer; Cole, Luiz, Cahill, Azpilicueta (Essien 70); De Bruyne, Schurrle (Hazard 83), Mikel, Lampard, Willian; Eto’o (Ba 74). Booked: Luiz, Essien. Goal: Cattermole 46 og.

Referee: A Taylor (Cheshire).