Romelu Lukaku brace puts Everton in FA Cup semis with win over Chelsea

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku produced two moments of magic to knock his former club Chelsea out of the FA Cup.

The Belgium international beat the combined defensive might of Cesar Azpilicueta, Jon Obi Mikel, Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill to score a brilliant individual opening goal.

He then finished off the visitors with a clinical right-footed strike to give his side their first visit to Wembley since the 2012 semifinal, which they lost to near-neighbours Liverpool.

Lukaku was deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge by Jose Mourinho but since moving to Everton in a £28 million deal he has scored 63 goals in 118 appearances and has 25 this season alone -- the first player to achieve that feat for Everton since Gary Lineker in 1985-86.

Romelu Lukaku guided Everton to a win over his former club Chelsea in Saturday's quarterfinal.

Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, attending his first match since acquiring an £85m 49.9 percent stake in the club, has pledged to provide the cash to keep their star players and he would be well advised to make the big striker an offer he cannot refuse as soon as possible.

Almost single-handedly Lukaku inflicted Guus Hiddink's first domestic victory since taking over in mid-December and to compound matters for the Dutch caretaker boss, striker Diego Costa was sent off late on after a clash with Gareth Barry which may invite further scrutiny.

The Spain international pushed his face into Barry's neck, seemingly intent on biting him, but appeared to withdraw at the last moment.

The players then embraced but Costa was still shown a red card -- and Barry followed moments later for a second booking.

While there had been no indication in the preceding 77 minutes of the brilliance which Lukaku produced, the late flurry of yellow and red cards was entirely predictable.

Diego Costa clashes with Gareth Barry following his red card.

There were more fouls than shots in a scrappy, over-physical first half which surprisingly saw only two bookings.

It was absolutely no surprise Costa was one, cautioned for jumping into Barry in retribution for the midfielder's foul on him earlier which the Chelsea striker felt should have warranted a yellow card.

Pedro's heavy touch took the ball out of play after he skipped past Robles but it was not until the 44th minute there was a save of any note as Joel Robles tipped over Willian's free kick.

Costa came closest to breaking the deadlock just before the hour but having skipped past Ramiro Funes Mori and Robles, his shot from the acutest of angles rolled along the goal line and past the far post.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied compatriot Lukaku after Cleverley's incisive through-ball but was powerless to deny him when he stepped up a gear 12 minutes from time.

When he picked up the ball wide on the left there appeared little danger but Lukaku set off with such drive and determination Chelsea's defenders just could not handle him. Having weaved his way past four players, he confidently stroked home.

His second, from the other side of the penalty area, was less spectacular but equally clinical.

Chelsea knew the game was up but Costa's decision to clash with Barry was patently ridiculous, considering what had gone before.

His red card was swiftly followed by another after Barry's foul on Cesc Fabregas, but it could not dampen Everton's celebrations as Chelsea's last hope of silverware went the same way as Costa.

Chelsea's season bites the dust: Lukaku hammers final nail in Blues' coffin

The Blues were beaten by their former striker at Goodison Park, with the Belgian scoring two excellent goals to all but end their campaign

So there it is, Chelsea’s season is dead and they have an old boy to blame. Romelu Lukaku, so desperate to prove a point against his former club, came back to haunt the Blues, sending two superb finishes past Thibaut Courtois to dump them out of the FA Cup and take Everton to Wembley.

There are few better poster boys for Chelsea’s failed transfer policy; Lukaku always had the talent, and now he has the club at which to shine.

While Diego Costa returned to his old habit of self-sabotage, Lukaku bided his time and scored two excellent goals. The first, a brilliant solo run that saw him power his way past two defenders and turn Gary Cahill inside out before slotting under Courtois, exemplified all that is good about his game. How Guus Hiddink must have wished he had the Belgian up front instead of the idiotically impulsive Costa.

While Lukaku scored two exquisite goals, Costa treated the Everton defenders to an array of kicks, jabs and petulant dives. Come the end of the game he had more grass stains on his shirt than shots on goal. He was sent off in the 83rd minute after a downright stupid clash with Gareth Barry, who himself was dismissed later on.

He cannot continue to play in such a manner, especially if he wishes to stick around after Hiddink’s departure, as his exploits are beginning to cost his team-mates. With their key man intent on self-destruction, the Blues had little option but to play around him, probing the channels instead of playing to the Spaniard.

Everton’s defence – which is yet to concede a goal in the FA Cup - stood firm once again, with Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori forming a diligent, physical partnership. One must have the brains and the brawn to combat Costa.







In truth, the Blues failed to truly test Joel Robles in the Everton goal for much of the match. Cesc Fabregas and Willian appeared to delight in remaining on the fringes of the match, never truly making a decisive impact despite receiving the ball in promising areas. The Spaniard’s most telling contribution came when he was kicked by Jagielka as he attempted to clear the ball, leading to a delicious Willian free-kick that forced Joel into an excellent reflex save. It was the only difficult stop he had to make. 

Unlike at Manchester United there is little excuse for such stodgy play at Stamford Bridge; Hiddink has allowed his players to express themselves as they wish under his management, and has unshackled the admittedly fiery talent of Costa and revitalised the previously timid Pedro.

Yet at Goodison Park there was very little evidence of any progress from the eventual toxicity of Jose Mourinho’s reign, as Chelsea appeared unwilling to try to win the game for fear of losing it, unlike Everton, who sensed a chance late on and went for the jugular.

By contrast, Chelsea knew that victory in the famous old competition represented their last chance to salvage a modicum of pride from what has been an embarrassment of a season.

And so, as Lukaku’s strikes rippled Courtois’s net, a collective gasp will surely have rung out in the Stamford Bridge boardroom.

No Premier League champion has performed quite as pitifully as the west Londoners and, while Hiddink has steadied a sinking ship, they must improve rapidly if they are to have any chance of even qualifying for Europe under their next permanent manager, likely to be the current Italy head coach Antonio Conte.