Sturridge late show lifts Chelsea gloom

Daniel Sturridge sent Chelsea through to the League Cup quarter-finals and lifted the gloom over the west London club as his late goal in extra-time sealed a 2-1 win against Everton on Wednesday.

The Blues have had to deal with the fall-out from a stormy 1-0 defeat at QPR on Sunday, which included allegations that England captain John Terry racially abused Anton Ferdinand and a ferocious rant at referee Chris Foy from Andre Villas-Boas that could lead to a fine for the Chelsea boss.

Terry, who is the subject of an FA investigation into the alleged incident, was missing from Chelsea’s squad at Goodison Park, but his absence couldn’t detract from a dramatic match.

Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka missed a penalty before the visitors went ahead through Salomon Kalou after an error by Everton goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

Everton squandered a penalty of their own when Petr Cech came on to save Leighton Baines’ spot-kick after goalkeeper Ross Turnbull was sent off, but Louis Saha equalised late on to send the tie into extra-time.

Everton’s Royston Drenthe also saw red in extra time before Sturridge settled the fourth round tie after 116 minutes.

Chelsea went close to taking the lead in the first minute when Romelu Lukaku broke into the box and fired just wide.

Everton responded quickly as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov pulled the ball back for Saha but Turnbull just got down quick enough to block.

Saha then made another good run and tried his luck from 25 yards but Turnbull saved more impressively.

Chelsea should have taken the lead after John Heitinga conceded a penalty by hacking down Josh McEachran.

But Anelka lacked conviction as he plodded up to the spot and side-footed wide.

Kalou made up for that as he beat Slovakian keeper Mucha with a tame lob that somehow squirmed through his grasp and into the net.

Everton should have been level when David Luiz failed to cut out Tim Cahill’s flick and Saha instinctively touched the ball past Turnbull, who chopped him down.

Referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot and brandished a red card, but Cech immediately made amends for his team-mate with a brilliant double save.

The Czech, brought on as Lukaku was sacrificed, parried Baines’ penalty and then blocked the left-back’s second attempt before Cahill headed wide.

Despite Cech’s heroics, the tide had turned and Everton’s pressure finally paid off as they equalised with seven minutes remaining when Saha met a cross from substitute Seamus Coleman with a perfect header at the near post.

Saha saw another low shot roll agonisingly wide as Chelsea survived five additional minutes to reach extra time.

The break allowed Chelsea to regroup and the numbers were evened up when Drenthe was dismissed for a second bookable offence after sending Ryan Bertrand sprawling.

Anelka’s misery continued as his fierce shot struck Baines on the line, hit the post and rebounded to safety, but Chelsea were not to be denied.

The winner came four minutes from the end as Mucha beat out a Florent Malouda shot but could do little to prevent Sturridge firing home the rebound.