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Match Report: Chelsea 3-1 Ipswich (FA Cup) | Help spread the word: Share on Facebook 
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Two sublime free kicks proved Town’s undoing, as Chelsea progressed to the 5th Round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory. Paul Bloomfield reports.Michael Ballack gave Chelsea the lead in the 15th minute when he slid onto Ashley Cole’s pass from the left and diverted the ball past Richard Wright into the net. Town took full advantage of Chelsea’s weakness at defending set-pieces just past the half-hour mark when Alex Bruce fired home from close range. Owen Garvan sent a ball into the box from a free-kick that hit Ricardo Carvalho and Gareth McAuley before falling into the path of Bruce who lashed the ball past Petr Cech, sending the travelling Ipswich supporters behind the goal into raptures. Chelsea’s lead was re-established just before the hour-mark when Michael Ballack dispatched a fine free kick. The German curled to ball over the Town wall and into the corner of Richard Wright’s net, notching his second goal of the game. It was another superb free kick that sealed the tie for Chelsea, with Frank Lampard firing in from all of 35 yards. Town didn’t disgrace themselves by any means and may well have earned a replay had it not been for Chelsea’s lethal free-kick takers in Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard. Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Cole, Carvalho (Ivanovic 70), Alex, Malouda (Drogba 56), Lampard, Ballack (Deco 79), Belletti, Kalou, Anelka. Subs not used: Cudicini, Ferreira, Mancienne, Stoch. Ipswich: R.Wright, Bruce, McAuley, Balkestein, D.Wright, Haynes (Lisbie 60), Miller (Quinn 80), Garvan, Norris, Walters (Stead 70), Counago. Subs not used: Supple, Bowditch, Quinn, Shumulikoski, Thatcher. Booked: Bruce, Garvan, Norris. Click to view author Paul Bloomfield's profile Fancy writing for LiveFootball? Click here to find out more. |