With Mykhailo Mudryk’s dramatic last-gasp equaliser on Tuesday, Chelsea overcame the odds to defeat Newcastle and advance to the League Cup semi-finals. Second-tier Middlesbrough, who defeated Port Vale 3-0, and Fulham, who defeated Everton on penalties, joined Mauricio Pochettino’s team in the semi-finals.
After suffering three consecutive losses in their previous five games, beginning with a 4-1 loss at Newcastle, Chelsea displayed some much-needed resiliency to win the quarterfinal 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at home.
Chelsea, who was languishing in 10th place in the Premier League, was two minutes away from elimination when Ukraine’s Mudryk, a winger, saved the day by scoring the equaliser that set up the Blues’ thrilling shootout victory.
Newcastle’s goal came from Callum Wilson in the sixteenth minute.
The only honours Pochettino has as a manager are a domestic cup and the French league championship with Paris Saint-Germain.
After losing the 2015 League Cup final while playing for Tottenham, the Argentine is still in the running for his first trophy in England thanks to Chelsea’s advancement.