Sunday 25 January 2015

BRADFORD HUMILIATES CHELSEA AT STAMFORD BRIDGE. (CHELSEA 2 BRADFORD 4). #FACUP


There are no words. How do you even begin to start reporting what happened at Stamford Bridge.
If you think the English FA Cup is dead, an after thought; you are wrong. Hugely wrong.

Two goals down against one of the most expensively-assembled squads in Europe, Bradford staged one of the biggest FA Cup giant-killings of all time, leaving Chelsea with a 4-2 win.

Jon Stead, Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday and Mark Yeates – Bradford's goalscorers – will be granted permanent membership into FA Cup folklore. But every player played their part. All heroes.


As for Jose Mourinho, his side's tilt at an historic quadruple is over.

His ego, and those of his players, is battered. But that's a story for another day.

This is Bradford's fairytale. Chelsea, who were understrength, were cruising; goals from Gary Cahill and Ramires but them on course for a routine win.

But then that old FA Cup magic cast yet another spell; a spell that will leave Chelsea's players sleepless for the next few days.

The home side caught a glimpse of what was to follow when Peter Cech produced a brilliant instinctive save to deny Andrew Davies' bullet header inside the opening 15 minutes.

The save sparked the Blues, at least for time being, into action. First Loic Remy, playing as a right winger, and Oscar both went close before Gary Cahill broke the deadlock with the most nonchalant of finishes.

In meeting Oscar's near post corner, the England star mustered a cheeky flick with the outside of his boot – reminiscent of Blues legend Gianfranco Zola's famous strike against Norwich in 2002- that flew past Ben Williams' near post to put the Blues ahead.

And in the 38th minute the Blues notched their second; Ramires exchanging passes with Salah before cooly slotting past Williams.

Game over, right? Wrong.
As Chelsea failed to deal with Morais' corner, the ball fell to Billy Knott who found Stead on the edge of the box.
The former Blackburn striker took a touch before firing an unstoppable left-footed rocket past Cech. 

This wasn't in the script for Mourinho's side. The FA Cup writes its own scripts, though.

Remy tried to restore the home side's two-goal advantage three minutes into the second period, but his half volley, following some excellent wing play from Salah, ballooned wide.

But that didn't nullify the momentum Bradford had gathered following's Stead's strike late in the first half.

Morais and Knott both fired wide whilst in good positions as the Bantams sensed an equaliser.

That was enough for Mourinho to send for the cavalry; Willian coming on for Salah, while Cesc Fabregas replaced John Obi Mikel, who needed treatment to a head injury after a collision with Knott.

Fabregas made an instant impact, locating Oscar with a brilliant flick only for the Brazil international to fire wide from a good position before watching Drogba head his well-flighted free-kick straight at Williams.

And a minute later – the unthinkable happened.

James Meredith's long throw was met by Andrew Davies, whose header found Knott who saw his shot parried by Cech.

But the rebound rolled into the direction of Morais. It must have seemed like an eternity for Morais as he waited for the ball to drop to his feet at the back post.

But it was worth the wait as he slotted home to send the visitor's into a frenzy.

As if the feat of a League One side coming back from two-down against the Premier League leaders wasn't dramatic enough; the sub-plot to the equaliser is worth considering.

Morais and Knott were both on Chelsea's books as youngsters. They'd dreamed of scoring or providing an assist at Stamford Bridge during those fledgling days. 

Their dreams had come true, though, perhaps, not in the shirts they'd envisaged wearing.

Mourinho responded by throwing on Eden Hazard – the change didn't make a blind bit of difference though, as Bradford made history.

Latching on to Stead's lay-off, Halliday's career flashed in front of his eyes in the 82nd minute.
This was it. A moment that defines careers. Creates heroes. Creates legend.

And the midfielder didn't choke, quite the opposite in fact, cooly side-footing past Cech from the edge of the box.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Madness erupted from the vocal travelling support and the Bantams bench.
Bradford knew what was coming. The kitchen sink.

Drogba headed wide, before Kurt Zouma fired over the bar from close range after Ramires' cut-back.
And yet there was more drama, the fourth official signalling seven minutes of stoppage time – much to Parkinson's annoyance.

He needn't have worried, though, as substitute Mark Yeates notched a fourth after Stead's pass to secure the most famous of wins.

Mourinho had seen enough; approaching Parkinson before attempting to head down the tunnel early.

The Bradford boss wasn't having any of it, refusing to shake his counterpart's hand until the final whistle.

There were eventually hand shakes. Bradford was shaking on Saturday night, as well.


DM


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