Chelsea eventually overcome Brian Barry-Murphy's Cardiff City to reach Carabao Cup semi-final
Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho (left) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
Enzo Maresca avoided another terrible 48 hours after three goals from two of his substitutes prevented Chelsea from having to explain away a Carabao Cup quarter-final upset at League One Cardiff City.
Alejandro Garnacho scored Chelsea's first and third in between one from Pedro Neto, although David Turnbull's Bluebirds' equaliser was actually the pick of the night's finishes.
Chelsea move on to Wednesday night's semi-final draw and Cardiff back to domestic duties but Brian Barry-Murphy's side, four points clear in the third tier, are probably a better bet for an end of season party. Jimmy's son is certainly doing a fine job in the Welsh capital.
Whether Maresca's bosses think the same about him remains to be seen, with the Italian's cryptic comments last week about not being supported still unexplained.
But cup wins are a Chelsea currency these days as Maresca's millionaires had enough in the bank to come out on top in the battle of the former Manchester City's Elite Development Squad managers.
The Pep Guardiola influence on both is there for all to see, with Cardiff boating higher possession per game stats in League One than the Club World Cup holders so far this term.
Cardiff like to live dangerously under the Cork man though, with the playing out from the back style trademarked by Pep aiding Chelsea in taking the lead.
Maresca changed his entire team from the 2-0 Premier League win over Everton on Saturday, a ploy that worked last season when they won the Europa Conference League, the Carabao Cup of the Continent.
Benoit Badiashile, with a defender's finish, blazed Chelsea's first chance over, with Cardiff replying with a better-aimed effort from David Turnbull that goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen was behind.
City's Isaak Davies overdid the enthusiasm by chopping Josh Acheampong down and was booked and it was a similar story when he was played in behind the defender one the left - his hurried shot ended going out for a throw.
Calum Chambers, once of Arsenal and England, was the next Cardiff man to be cautioned, ahead of Nathan Trott's first save of the evening on the half-hour mark. The angle was tight, though, for Marc Guiu.
Again BBM's boys retaliated straight away and Jorgensen had to get down at his near post to stop Moises Caicedo, back after a three-match ban, deflecting in a cross from Davies, who was giving Acheampong a torrid time on the left. The half ended with Caicedo in the book for sarcastically clapping referee Tony Harrington.
Maresca made two changes for the second half, replacing Guiu and Tyrique George with Joao Pedro and Alejandro Garnacho. Straight away there was a chance for the latter, after Chambers had lost the ball out of position. Again Trott made the save however.
Callum Robinson, the Republic of Ireland forward, was the first Cardiff man to be replaced, with Davies also subbed as Salech and Chris Willock came on.
Disaster was seconds away however as Dylan Lawlor, the 19-year-old centre-back, tried to play out from the back but saw his pass intercepted by Facundo Buonanotte, who played Garnacho in for a smart finish through Trott from a tight angle.
That early Christmas present, in the 57th minute, galvanised Chelsea.
Joel Bagan almost poked the ball into his own net but having survived that Cardiff equalised through Turnbull's superb diving header in the 75th minute. Perry Ng played the ball in from the right and the Scot, his run untracked by any defender, headed emphatically past Jorgensen.
Cue pandemonium in the home stands but Cardiff soon had Trott to thank for a point-blank denial of Pedro after City had again been caught out playing from the back.
The former West Ham keeper was unlucky when Neto, one of two substitutions in the 66th minute, won it for Chelsea in the 82nd minute with a low drive that took a fateful deflection off Bagan.
Pedro's flick put Garnacho in for another smart finish from an angle deep into added time and that was that.
Trott 7; Ng 7 (Fish 90), Lawlor 6, Chambers 6, Bagan 7; Wintle 6; Turnbull 7 (Robettson 80); Ashford 7, J. Colwill 7, Davies 7 (Willock 56, 5) Robinson 6 (Salech 56, 5).
Jorgensen 7; Acheampong 6 (Chalobah 84), Badiashile 6, Tosin 6, Hato 7; Santos 6, Caicedo 6; George 7 (Garnacho 46, 7), Buonanotte 7 (Gusto 66, 5), Gittens 6 (Neto 66, 5); Guiu 5 (Pedro 46, 6).
Tony Harrington 6
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