Abby Brammell

By Ian Ridley

Hot shot: Didier Drogba bursts through to score Chelsea's first goal


Exit the captain, enter a leader. John Terry decamped to Dubai to patch up his personal life and Frank Lampard led out Chelsea, but it was a towering performance from Didier Drogba that directed the FA Cup holders' march towards the arch of Wembley again.

Drogba, back from the Africa Cup of Nations with a double against Arsenal last weekend, scored his 23rd goal of the season to draw level with Wayne Rooney as the leading scorers in the English game.

As well as scoring and assisting in goals, he exuded an exemplary attitude and approach as the Blues ultimately overcame the Bluebirds for a seventh consecutive home win.

Injury-hit Cardiff had their moments, notably in equalising the Ivorian's goal through Michael Chopra before half-time, but the Premier League leaders' quality prevailed in the second half with goals by Michael Ballack, Daniel Sturridge - maintaining his record of scoring in every round - and Salomon Kalou.

'Cardiff worked their socks off and gave us a lot of problems in the first half,' said Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins, standing in for Carlo Ancelotti, who may not have wanted to endure questions about replacing the misfiring Joe Cole at half-time.

'But we upped the tempo in the second half and in the end it was comfortable. I thought the professionalism of Didier and Michael shone through and I would add Frank to that. They took it by the throat.' He dismissed talk of Cole's poor form, a worry for England manager Fabio Capello to add to the injury to Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole.


Bluebirds soar: Michael Chopra levelled matters at Stamford Bridge


'After such a long lay-off, it's going to be a shock to Joe's system and it takes time to reach tip-top form,' said Wilkins. 'But he's working hard and we don't see any problems.'

Cardiff manager Dave Jones, who led his side to the final two years ago, was philosophical, his priority now promotion from the Championship with the next instalment at home to West Brom on Tuesday.

'It was hard on my team,' he said. 'The scoreline looks like a drubbing but we gave a good account of ourselves. We wanted to come here and have a go rather than shut up shop.'


Off to a flyer: Didier Drogba opened the scoring after just two minutes


His side got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal in just one minute 50 seconds. For Chelsea, it was too easy. John Obi Mikel curled a ball forward into the inside right channel when Drogba's run went unchecked, with the Cardiff defence static. He simply strode on and buried the ball past David Marshall. The dragon's tail had been tweaked.

What would be the response? Surprisingly good. While Chelsea's supporters settled down for an afternoon of exhibition football and a goal glut, Cardiff had other ideas.

Chelsea looked especially vulnerable in the air early on. With Terry in the side at Everton in midweek they had looked dodgy. Without him they looked dodgier still.

Gabor Gyepes got in a header that was kicked away. Peter Whittingham's free-kick was met by Anthony Gerrard and Henrique Hilario had to make a flying save.


High flyer: Chelsea keeper Henrique Hilario makes a save


Then came the equaliser, Chelsea again found wanting in the air. Chris Burke sent in a cross from the left and Chopra escaped the labouring Alex and Ricardo Carvalho to glance home a header. It all left Lampard shaking his head at half-time. Having readjusted, with Cole - for all Wilkins' words, clearly not an Ancelotti favourite - replaced by Kalou for the second half, Chelsea quickly regained the lead. Drogba fed a ball inside Mark Kennedy and Ballack ran on to fire past Marshall.

Soon, Chelsea had all but sealed the game. Sturridge played a ball in to Drogba, the ball breaking off a defender back to Sturridge, who shot low through Marshall.

Kevin McNaughton curled a shot just wide as Cardiff made one last rally but Chelsea gilded their lily when Kalou was left alone on the penalty spot for a firm header home from Paulo Ferreira's cross.



source: dailymail