Chelsea through to League Cup semis after defeating Newcastle

Chelsea needed penalties to defeat Newcastle in the League Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday. Newcastle held the lead for the majority of the game after Callum Wilson’s opener. However, a mistake at the back from Kieran Trippier allowed Mykhailo Mudryk to equalize in stoppage time. Chelsea then scored all of its spot kicks while Newcastle erred on two. Mauricio Pochettino’s side is back in the League Cup semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons.

In the end, all the stats pointed toward Chelsea deserving to advance. Not only did the Blues have more shots, it dominated the possession of the ball. However, Newcastle’s defense was resolute enough to prevent the final pass from any legitimate threats. The Blues just needed one golden chance. Kieran Trippier made that possible. It was an uncharacteristic mistake but an all-too-common one in the Englishman’s recent form.

Regardless, Newcastle’s misery is Chelsea’s delight. After a dismal campaign last season, Chelsea is in the hunt for a trophy this season. Moreover, it is one of the strongest teams left alive. Chelsea advanced to the semifinals alongside Middlesbrough and Fulham, two teams that Chelsea can certainly defeat. The last team to join the final four comes tomorrow when Liverpool faces West Ham United.

Defensive errors the difference between Chelsea and Newcastle in League Cup

Trippier was not the only player to make a gaff in the game, though. The live blog below shows how Newcastle controlled Chelsea’s chances enough to preserve its lead for well over an hour. Still, the end result is what matters, particularly in single-elimination cup games.

Chelsea will learn its opponent in the semifinals of the League Cup after the Liverpool-West Ham game tomorrow.