Sunday 13 March 2016 09:47, UK
Romelu Lukaku came back to haunt his former club with a double that saw Everton book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a fractious 2-0 home win over Chelsea on Saturday evening.
A game of few chances at Goodison Park burst into life when Lukaku produced a moment of magic to break the deadlock 13 minutes from time, before sealing Everton's place at Wembley five minutes later with a low finish past Thibaut Courtois.
In a dramatic finale, frustrations boiled over for Chelsea and Diego Costa in particular as the striker was shown a first red card of his Chelsea career after picking up a second booking in the 84th minute for a clash with Gareth Barry.
The Spain international pushed his face into Barry's neck and motioned as if to bite, but appeared to withdraw at the last moment and then embraced his opponent, who offered little in the way of reaction.
Barry received his own marching orders in the 87th minute after picking up a second yellow card but the job was done for Everton, who join Crystal Palace in Monday evening's semi-final draw.
Defeat at Goodison completes a miserable week for Guus Hiddink's side as they followed up a Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain by crashing out of the FA Cup, thereby ending their chances of silverware this season.
Everton, who were watched for the first time by new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, made two changes from the side that lost 3-2 to West Ham last Saturday, with Leighton Baines replacing John Stones and Tom Cleverley starting in place of the suspended Kevin Mirallas.
And it was Cleverley who got straight into the action with an attempt from the edge of the penalty area, forcing Courtois into a comfortable save after just 44 seconds.
Costa, who limped out of Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to PSG in midweek, showed no signs of any injury, charging into Barry to earn himself a yellow card.
Goal-mouth action was hard to come by in the opening 20 minutes but there were tackles aplenty, leaving referee Michael Oliver with his hands full in what was a physical encounter.
Unsurprisingly, Costa was at the heart of the battle, appealing for a penalty after going to ground after a coming together with Phil Jagielka, but Oliver allowed play to continue.
Jagielka himself was cautioned in the 42nd minute after a wild challenge on Cesc Fabregas and it allowed Willian a strike on goal, but Joel Robles tipped the free-kick over the bar.
Everton finished with a flourish of their own as Baines' cut-back found Cleverley, but the midfielder's first-time shot was easily held by Courtois.
Costa came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 58th minute but after beating the challenges of both Funes Mori and Robles, his shot from the tightest of angles rolled along the goal line and past the far post.
Chelsea needed goalkeeper Courtois to keep out Lukaku in the 73rd minute but there was nothing he could do to deny his compatriot five minutes later.
The 22-year-old, who was deemed surplus to requirements and sold to Everton by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, picked up the ball on the left before powering past the challenges of Branislav Ivanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta.
He continued his run into the box, holding off the challenges of John Obi Mikel and Gary Cahill before finishing in the far corner for his 25th goal of the campaign.
Lukaku did not have to wait long for number 26 as he latched onto Ross Barkley's through ball before clinically finishing in the oppositie corner to inflict a first FA Cup defeat on Hiddink, and send his side into the last four.
The game was up for Chelsea, who sent on John Terry for his 700th appearance for the club, but there was still time for some more antics from Costa as his clash resulted in a second yellow card followed by a red.
Barry, booked moments earlier for his part in the Costa incident, was next to see red, picking up his own second yellow for a late challenge on Fabregas, but the decision could not dampen Everton's celebrations at the final whistle as they kept their own silverware hopes alive and ended Chelsea's in the process.
