LEICESTER 2-4 CHELSEA (AET)!

LEICESTER 2-4 CHELSEA (AET):
FABREGAS DOUBLE SEALS COMEBACK TOn
SEND FOXES OUT.
Shinji Okazaki put the champions in command but
a superb comeback saw the Blues progress with
the midfielder scoring twice after the hosts had
been reduced to 10 men.
Chelsea recovered from two goals down to beat Leicester
4-2 at the King Power Stadium thanks to two goals in
extra-time from Cesc Fabregas.
The visitors' defence was highly culpable as Shinji Okazaki
ended a 13-game goal drought with two first-half goals for
the Premier League champions, but two of Antonio
Conte's back four were able to make amends either side
of the interval.
Captain Gary Cahill headed home a Fabregas corner in
first-half stoppage time before Cesar Azpilicueta – who
tried in vain to hack both Okazaki goals off the line –
elevated a pulsating match further with a spectacular long-
range volley in the 49th minute.
Leicester were forced to play the additional half-hour with
10 men after Marcin Wasilewski struck substitute Diego
Costa with a forearm and Chelsea made merry against
reduced numbers as Fabregas struck twice inside the
opening four minutes of extra-time.
The match took place following conflicting reports of
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's displeasure regarding
last Friday's 2-1 loss to Liverpool, meaning Conte's men
turned in a timely showing of character and class.
Marcos Alonso was selected for his Chelsea debut as both
managers made seven changes and it was the reshuffled
visitors who settled quickest.
Pedro had an early goal chalked off for a marginal offside
and Wasilewski breathed easily when referee Robert
Madley did not punish him for handling inside the box.
There was a similar sense of relief for Cahill when his pass
was intercepted by Okazaki and his subsequent collision
with Ahmed Musa in the penalty area went unpunished.
Nevertheless, Chelsea remained some way below Conte's
famously exacting defensive standards and fell behind
thanks to some dismal defending after 17 minutes.
Azpilicueta chested Musa's right-wing cross back across
his own six-yard box and could not rescue the situation
after Okazaki reacted quicker than a lumbering Asmir
Begovic to head the opener.
Michy Batshuayi should have done better when he nodded
Pedro's delivery wide at the back post and Chelsea's task
became steeper 11 minutes before half-time.
Okazaki took Andy King's lofted pass impressively on his
chest, but was ably assisted by a ball-watching David Luiz
as he scuffed a shot into the turf, over Begovic and in.
A chastening half for Chelsea's defence ended on a high -
Cahill heading over the line, with Luiz charging into Danny
Drinkwater's clearance to make sure.
The equaliser arrived four minutes after the restart and in
spectacular fashion, as Fabregas' cross was only partially
cleared and a sweetly hit volley from Azpilicueta flew into
the top corner from 25 yards.
Batshuayi tried to pick out the same part of Ron-Robert
Zieler's goal midway through the second half, only for the
Germany international to produce a superb flying save.
With his team increasingly camped close to his penalty
area, a long Zieler clearance sent Musa darting through at
the other end, with Begovic turning his chip unconvincingly
behind before King missed a glorious headed chance from
the resulting corner.
A raking pass from Luiz saw Costa force a double save
from Zieler before Wasilewski – already on a booking –
foolishly ensured his early exit.
Costa rifled against the side-netting in stoppage time but
linked smoothly with fellow replacement Eden Hazard, who
ruthlessly exposed a flagging Leicester by backheeling for
Fabregas to score wonderfully in the 92nd minute.
A poor Zieler punch allowed Fabregas to smash a second
to seal the tie and quell talk of early cracks appearing
under Conte.
Up Blues Up Conte...