Sports

Chelsea strolls into FA Cup quarters

February 17, 2018
Chelsea’s Willian (C) in action against Hull City during their FA Cup match at Stamford Bridge Friday. — Reuters
Chelsea’s Willian (C) in action against Hull City during their FA Cup match at Stamford Bridge Friday. — Reuters

LONDON — Last season’s FA Cup runner-up Chelsea struck four times before the break to crush second-tier Hull City 4-0 and stroll into the quarterfinals at Stamford Bridge Friday.

Willian bagged two and Olivier Giroud scored his first goal for the club since joining from London rivals Arsenal, while Pedro was also on target for Antonio Conte’s dominant side.

The night’s other fifth round tie saw Leicester City also in action against Championship opposition but having to work far harder for a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United.

Jamie Vardy struck the only goal after 66 minutes — the fifth game in a row in all competitions he has been on target.

Leicester held on to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2012 when it was knocked out by eventual winner Chelsea — the last time the west London club won the Cup.

Willian needed only two minutes to give Chelsea the lead against Hull, curling the ball in with his left foot from the edge of the penalty area.

Cesc Fabregas sent Pedro away to make it 2-0 after 27 minutes and Willian then used his right foot to devastating effect to skim a low shot past keeper David Marshall.

French international Giroud clipped in a neat finish from Emerson’s cut back to make the second half academic.

Girona beats Leganes

Girona continued to impress in its debut season in Spain’s first division by beating Leganes 3-0 for a fourth consecutive home win Friday.

Christian Stuani and Cristian “Portu” Portugues added to their team-leading goal tallies with strikes to decide the result before halftime.

Stuani converted a penalty in the 23rd minute after Martin Mantovani used his hand to divert a cross destined for the Girona striker.

Portu doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 36th after he led a solo counterattack and blasted the ball over goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar from a tight angle.

Juan Ramirez claimed the last with a header at the end.

Girona rose into eighth place, just two points from sixth place and the last of two Europa League spots.

The goal was Stuani’s 13th, good for fourth in the league after Lionel Messi (20), Luis Suarez (16) and Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas (15).

Girona captain Eloi Amagat made his long-awaited first division debut late in the second half. The 32-year-old midfielder had yet to play this season. Previously, Amagat played in the second, third, and fourth divisions over the nine years he has been at the club.

“I had been waiting a long time for this, too long. I am happy to have debuted in the first division, and to do so at home, in front of our fans,” Amagat said.

“We are surprising even ourselves,” Amagat said about Girona’s campaign. “Our goal has to be to make sure we avoid relegation. But we have hungry players and we will be ambitious and take whatever we can achieve.”

Girona earned promotion to the topflight last season for the first time in its 87-year history. That was followed by Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership buying a 44.3 percent stake in the Catalan club in August. — Agencies


February 17, 2018
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