Chelsea drubs Leeds, City canters
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 18, 2013
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Manchester City's Yaya Toure (second left) shoots to score during their FA Cup fifth-round match against Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England, yesterday. City won 4-0 to reach the quarterfinals. |
The English Premier League's big guns restored some normality to the FA Cup yesterday with holder Chelsea crushing third tier Brentford 4-0 in a fourth-round replay while Manchester City also dismissed Leeds United 4-0 in a fifth-round tie.
Midfielder Frank Lampard scored his 199th goal for Chelsea which put four second-half goals past Brentford at Stamford Bridge. Juan Mata, Oscar and captain John Terry also netted as Chelsea secured a fifth-round clash at Championship (second division) Middlesbrough.
Argentine Sergio Aguero scored twice for 2011 winner Manchester City which eased into the quarterfinals with a confident display that was the complete opposite from its abject 1-3 Premier League defeat at Southampton last weekend.
Yaya Toure's superbly-worked early goal set City on its way against Championship side Leeds and Aguero added a second from the penalty spot. His compatriot Carlos Tevez bundled in a third soon after halftime and Aguero added a fourth after 74 minutes.
Second tier Huddersfield was entertaining top-flight Wigan Athletic in the late kickoff while Manchester United hosts Reading at Old Trafford today.
Three second-tier sides reached the last eight on Saturday, including Blackburn Rovers who stunned 10-time winner Arsenal with a 1-0 victory at the Emirates in London.
Everton, sixth in the Premier League, was taken to a replay after conceding a stoppage-time goal in a 2-2 draw at third-tier struggler Oldham Athletic.
England midfielder Lampard, whose Chelsea future remains unresolved with his contract expiring at the end of the season, tucked away a simple volley on 71 minutes to edge closer to Bobby Tambling's all-time club record of 202 goals.
The goal prompted Chelsea fans to chant 'sign him up' as billionaire owner Roman Abramovich forced a wry smile high up in the stand. Interim manager Rafael Benitez said: "The team was doing well and Frank Lampard is scoring goals, which is good for him and for us."
Chelsea twice had to come from behind to earn a 2-2 away draw in its first encounter and was again sluggish in the first half against fellow Londoners.
Mata finally broke Brentford's resistance on 54 minutes when he latched on to Demba Ba's flick from a long Petr Cech clearance and drilled in a left-foot shot from 20 meters.
Oscar doubled the lead 14 minutes later from Branislav Ivanovic's cutback, scoring with a deft flick, and Lampard added a third from Mata's cross. Terry headed in at the far post, from Oscar's curling delivery, to make it 4-0 on 81 minutes.
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