John Terry’s fourth-minute strike put Chelsea into the FA Cup semifinals, earning a 1-0 victory over Newcastle on Wednesday to keep the Blues on course for their first league-cup double.
The England centreback’s goal at Stamford Bridge sent the Blues into the final four along with Liverpool and West Ham.
Liverpool reached the semifinals by beating Birmingham City 7-0 on Tuesday and West Ham made it by winning 2-1 at Manchester City on Monday. The other quarterfinal is on Thursday between Charlton and Middlesbrough.
With a 12-point lead, Chelsea are in position to win their second straight league title and are chasing their first FA Cup crown since 2000. By contrast, Newcastle, who are 12th in the 20-club Premier League, have not won a domestic trophy since the 1955 FA Cup and Wednesday’s game may have been the final cup game for striker Alan Shearer, who has played for 10 years for the Magpies without winning a title.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho made seven changes in his team who were upset 1-0 by struggling Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.
Newcastle knocked out Chelsea from the competition last season thanks to a fourth-minute Patrick Kluivert goal. After not having conceded a goal in their first three FA Cup games this season, the Magpies fell behind early at Stamford Bridge.
Damien Duff fired in a low corner from the left and Terry got to the ball at the near post before Shearer to score with a first-time, left-footed half-volley. The ball struck the boot of Newcastle’s Peruvian midfielder Nolberto Solano on the way past goalkeeper Shay Given, but was on target anyway.
Newcastle almost equalised in the 17th minute when Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini could only parry a powerful left-footed shot from Lee Bowyer. With Shearer about to force home the rebound, Terry recovered to make a perfectly timed tackle in front of an empty net.
Ricardo Carvalho had a great chance to double the lead two minutes before half-time when he connected with a left-wing free kick from Frank Lampard, but volleyed wide of the near post from 5m.
Given thwarted chances by Didier Drogba three times in the second half as Chelsea continued to dominate, and Blues substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips blazed a shot high and wide with just the ‘keeper to beat with five minutes to go.
Newcastle defender Robbie Elliott was sent off with a minute to go for a second yellow card although the second caution for an apparent obstruction of Wright-Phillips appeared a harsh decision. — Sapa-AP