Anelka helps Chelsea to win
Nicolas Anelka opened his account for Chelsea
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Saturday, 26, Jan 2008 08:02
New signing Nicolas Anelka grabbed his first goal for Chelsea as they beat Wigan 2-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the JJB Stadium.
Anelka was a lonely figure upfront for much of the game, but made the most of the one good chance he got. Shaun Wright-Phillips doubled Chelsea's lead before Antoine Sibierski grabbed a late consolation.
The first half was one to forget and there were only a couple of decent chances the two teams could muster. Joe Cole had Chelsea's best effort as he had a shot outside the box well-saved by Chris Kirkland in the Wigan goal.
Wigan strikers Emile Heskey and Marcus Bent rarely managed to get in the game and when they did get a scent of goal they blew it. Bent had a chance to have a shot at goal from only five yards out but he failed to control the ball and Juliano Belletti nabbed it away from him.
Chelsea looked the classier side and they took a deserved lead after 53 minutes. Belletti lofted a ball into the Wigan box and Titus Bramble clumsily played Anelka onside, leaving the Frenchman calmly lifted the ball over Kirkland.
The home side could have been back on level terms almost immediately but Petr Cech made a fine point-blank save with his feet from a Heskey shot.
As Wigan surged forward looking for the equaliser Chelsea hit them on the counter-attack and doubled their lead. Anelka used his pace to get on the end of a long Cech clearance. He then slid the ball across to Wright-Phillips who hammered the ball home.
Wigan looked out of the game, but Sibierski brilliantly volleyed the ball into the top corner to make it 2-1. Bent smashed the top of the Chelsea bar late on, but the visitors held on to make the fifth round.