Robbie Keane scored two goals and set up another on Sunday in Tottenham’s 3-3 draw at Wigan in the Premier League, and Chelsea advanced to the FA Cup final with a 2-1 win over Blackburn.
Tottenham rallied three times against its relegation-threatened opponents. Keane scored with a penalty in the 35th minute and also collected a goal kick from Paul Robinson and lobbed Wigan goalkeeper John Filan in the 68th.
Everton beat Charlton 2-1 with an injury-time goal from James McFadden. That moved the Toffees up to fifth place, but left the Addicks in the relegation zone.
Michael Ballack scored for Chelsea in extra time at Old Trafford after the match had ended 1-1 in regular time. The Germany captain picked up a loose ball after a blocked shot and scored in the 109th minute.
”It’s a very special feeling. I think the game was amazing,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. ”You finish the game, you win and you are crazy with happiness.”
Wigan striker Emile Heskey scored his third goal in as many games in the second minute, heading in his own rebound after a goalmouth scramble. Tottenham replied immediately with Keane setting up Dimitar Berbatov, who eluded two defenders before scoring his 20th goal of the season in the fourth minute.
Leighton Baines curled a volley into the far corner from the edge of the box in the 30th minute to give Wigan the lead, but again, it did not last long.
Filan brought down Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas just inside the box and referee Graham Poll awarded a penalty kick, which Keane converted.
Kevin Kilbane headed in Wigan’s third goal in the 60th minute from a corner by Ryan Taylor. Keane’s final goal was a 35m shot that went over the Filan’s head and bounced into the empty net.
”The manner in which we conceded our goals is very disappointing,” Wigan manager Paul Jewell said. ”We knew we would have to make them work hard for their goals, but we didn’t. We made mistakes and got severely punished.”
Tottenham now has 49 points, and moved up one place to eighth. Wigan increased to 35 points and is now 15th.
”Before the game we would not have settled for a point, but after it you have to, particularly when you concede two goals from set pieces,” Tottenham manager Martin Jol said.
Everton dominated Charlton at Goodison Park.
In the first half, Andy Johnson had two chances, Leon Osman curled a shot wide and Lee Carsley sent a volley over the crossbar.
Mikel Arteta also had chances on either side of the interval.
The Toffees were finally rewarded in the 81st when Joleon Lescott scored with a volley after a header from Johnson had been pushed away by Charlton goalkeeper Scott Carson.
Darren Bent equalised for Charlton in the 89th, but McFadden scored the winner in injury time.
”I think we deserved it,” Everton manager David Moyes said. ”But I’ve got to say that Charlton have been doing very well lately and we always knew, right up until the end, it would be tight.”
Charlton stayed in 18th place with 32 points, ahead of West Ham (29) and Watford (23).
Frank Lampard scored his 21st Chelsea goal this season when he took a cross from Ballack and sent a shot into the corner in the 16th.
Jason Roberts equalised in the 64th, scoring off a free kick from Morten Gamst Pedersen.
”Blackburn gave us a game, it was not a surprise to me,” Mourinho said. ”I was waiting for this — they fought like heroes.
We are enjoying the moment and they are sad but I have big feelings for them.”
On Saturday, Arsenal ended a four-match winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Bolton, and third-place Liverpool drew 0-0 with Manchester City.
Liverpool has 61 points, followed by Arsenal with 59 in the final Champions League spot. Everton’s win moved the club up one place, and pushed Bolton into sixth. Both Everton and Bolton have 54 points.
Manchester United, which beat Watford 4-1 to reach the FA Cup final, leads the league with 78 points, three ahead of Chelsea.
Also on Saturday, it was: Middlesbrough 1, Aston Villa 3; Portsmouth 2, Newcastle 1; Reading 1, Fulham 0; and Sheffield United 3, West Ham 0. – Sapa-AP