Very little happened in the opening 10 minutes apart from a determined run into the Birmingham area by Daniel Sturridge, but forced wide he eventually knocked the ball out for a goal-kick. On 12 minutes Birmingham were forced into a change, losing their veteran captain Stephen Carr to injury. Three minutes later, Mata, in the part of the pitch partly policed by Carr's replacement Jonathan Spector, almost plucked a Sturridge cross out of the air with his back to goal but as he turned, it ran out of play.Then, on 19 minutes, a previously drab encounter exploded into life in favor of the guests from Birmingham.
First the visitors took the lead. Having won a corner, it was played into the near-post area where David Luiz couldn't clear it. Ivanovic also missed the chance to make contact which left David Murphy in space to drill the ball home from close range. That was the first shot of the game from either side and it had inflicted a blow to Chelsea confidence.The chance to slap the Championship side back down came just two minutes later when an unnecessary and clumsy challenge by Wade Elliott tripped Ramires in a crowded penalty area.Mata, who scored with his previous Chelsea penalty, was the obvious choice to take it with Lampard and Drogba on the bench but his low shot was tipped onto the post and was then cleared. It was a good save by Colin Doyle.
25 minutes and Sturridge was not far away from finding Torres with a cross but Curtis Davies interrupted it. Chelsea remained on top for the rest of half but without creating enough chances.Sturridge, from the left this time, put a little too much pace on a curling cross for Ivanovic, who had evaded the offside flag. Chelsea by now had switched to 4-2-3-1 with Mata now central and Ramires on the right. Sturridge for a short spell decided to shoot at every opportunity and his best effort was a dipping one that didn't clear the bar by much. Birmingham's only effort of the half since their goal saw Cech save comfortably from Redmond.
In the second half, Drogba replaced Torres. Chelsea continued to dominate possession but a good link between our midfield and attacking play was not there, although one Mikel long pass almost picked out a well-placed Drogba. In the 54 minutes, Cahill was wrongly booked for what was nothing more than good strong defending on Birmingham's lone striker Adam Rooney and two minutes later, the manager of Chelsea made a second change, bringing on Kalou for Mikel.There were 61 minutes played when the Spaniard spotted Ivanovic in space down the right and found him with the necessary pass. The cross from the Serbian was delivered with pace and accuracy and it was given the finishing touch it deserved, Sturridge guiding a header inside the far post to put his side back level.
The quest was on for a winner. Kalou headed over from a Drogba cross and Ivanovic got the ball tangled among his feet after Mata had volleyed a cross with the power of a shot. Meireles then had a shot from the edge of the area deflected up and just over the bar. There was a rare shot from Birmingham on 76 minutes after Ramires had conceded a free-kick, but Cech gathered it low down. The Chelsea defence, and Cahill in particular, were proving solid. With 12 minutes left on the clock, Lampard replaced Mata. Drogba hadn't been involved much but he won a corner soon after that latest switch. With 86 minutes Birmingham did have their chance to win after the Chelsea defence was caught square as Jervis knocked the ball forward but Redmond fluffed his big moment and the save was easy for Cech.Wth 89 minutes gone and the rain now falling, Chelsea's chance came when Ivanovic was fouled 20 yards out and in a central position. Lampard however hit the free-kick into the wall.It had been an improved second-half display but despite substitutions, the cutting edge was not sharp enough.
The replay will be Tuesday 6 March. kick-off.
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