Everton 1-2 Chelsea (aet)
- Published
Daniel Sturridge's extra-time winner earned Chelsea a Carling Cup victory over Everton as both teams were reduced to 10 men in an enthralling game.
Nicolas Anelka missed a penalty but Chelsea went ahead when Jan Mucha spilled Salomon's Kalou's soft shot.
Chelsea keeper Ross Turnbull saw red when he tripped Louis Saha before Petr Cech saved Leighton Baines' spot-kick.
Saha's header then took the tie to extra-time as Royston Drenthe was also sent off before Sturridge pounced.
Andre Villas-Boas' team booked their place in the last eight, with the likes of Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard and Juan Mata kept on the bench, and John Terry not making the trip to Liverpool.
And for much of the tie it looked like they were heading out after Turnbull received his marching orders before the hour mark.
Everton had several chances to pinch a winner in normal time with Drenthe firing wide and Denis Stracqualursi also having a glorious chance to steal victory with an unmarked header.
Once Drenthe was ordered off for a second booking following a high tackle on Ryan Bertrand after 107 minutes, the balance of the game shifted.
Baines cleared Anelka's shot off the line before substitute Sturridge was the quickest to react four minutes from time to tuck into the corner following Florent Malouda's shot.
Villas-Boas was delighted at the final whistle with the marathon effort of his players, coming after they had two men sent off in the defeat by QPR on Sunday.
Everton boss David Moyes will wonder how his side failed to make the 10-man advantage pay but he will be encouraged by Drenthe's display before he left he field.
The Dutchman was a threat throughout the game and he and Saha, making his third start of the season, contributed to an open and robust contest.
Everton's early probing made them look more likely to score, but Chelsea were presented with a penalty on 16 minutes when Johnny Heitinga brought down midfielder Josh McEachran.
Anelka stepped up to take it at the Gwladys Street end but side-footed wide of the right post although there did appear to be a laser pen flashed onto the ball before he took the spot-kick.
Just as the hosts were in the ascendancy, they were let down by a real clanger by second-string keeper Mucha on 38 minutes.
Bertrand cut the ball back to Kalou and his floated chip from the edge of the box looked comfortable for the Slovakian keeper but he let the ball slip through his fingers.
Mucha would have been delighted to see Everton earn a great chance to equalise when Turnbull brought down Saha for the game's second penalty on the hour.
Turnbull was harshly sent off for the challenge as David Luiz appeared to offer the Chelsea keeper cover, but Cech's first touch was to save Baines' effort, which was drilled down the centre of the goal, before he also stopped the rebound.
By this stage the action was breathless as Drenthe's free-kick hit the bar, and although Chelsea took steps to shore up their defence Saha finally pounced when he headed in substitute Coleman's right-wing cross.
After a frantic end to the 90 minutes it was inevitable that in extra-time the pace of the game slowed and Drenthe's second yellow after a high tackle on Bertrand clipped Everton's advantage.
Expectedly, Chelsea came back into the contest and Sturridge showed his killer instinct when he slotted in his fifth goal of the season.
Everton manager David Moyes: "I don't think we deserved to lose. Certainly over 90 minutes we should have won the game. We have only got ourselves to blame for not winning it in 90 minutes."
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas: "We went down to 10 men, unfortunately, once again and made things even more difficult but we were able to triumph in difficulty and these are good signs for us.
"We got one of the most difficult draws, Everton away with one of their strongest sides. They showed they wanted to go through this phase but we were able, not only to play good football, but show good commitment and desire. It shows we are progressing and it is very satisfying for everybody."