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Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Chelsea
Match Reports, 14:53, January 28, 2012
Chelsea shrugged aside the pre-match controversy to beat a QPR side lacking in courage and creativity.
With the clubs agreeing with the FA prior to kick-off to cancel the traditional handshake, and QPR stepping up the security precautions for both home and away fans, today's early fourth round FA Cup fixture could well have been overshadowed by events off the pitch.
Both Anton Ferdinand and John Terry, however, did well to settle into the game right from the start, with both teams keen to do their talking on the pitch.
Daniel Sturridge almost opened the scoring after nine minutes, sending a rasping long-range effort just wide of the post, with Paddy Kenny looking on with relief, while Florent Malouda flashed an effort wide of the target from close range after a Juan Mata corner.
Although a couple of shots from distance from the boot of Joey Barton looked vaguely threatening, Petr Cech was left largely untroubled by the attacking efforts of QPR throughout the first half, and it was left to Chelsea to attempt to prove their class in the dying moments of the half, with Raul Meireles and Mata both seeing first-time shots blocked.
The second half saw even less urgency from the home side, who were content to sit back and let Chelsea play their game, and Luke Young was forced to charge down a stinging shot from distance from Sturridge, whose rising drive moments later from a corner cleared the bar.
Just before the hour mark, Sturridge tangled with Clint Hill in the box, but Mike Dean turned down his appeals for a spot kick. Moments later, though, the striker again went down in the box under the softest of touches from Hill, and this time the decision was handed Chelsea's way.
Mata was the man to take the penalty for the Blues, the Chelsea man sending Kenny the wrong way before finishing in style. With Chelsea taking the lead, QPR did little to suggest that a comeback was on the cards, with the attacking players left isolated by a lack of support from the full-backs.
With seven minutes of injury time added on after a nasty injury to Ramires, though, the home side were handed renewed hope, but a shot on the half-volley from Young in the dying seconds of the game was saved by Cech, to put Chelsea deservedly into the fifth round of the Cup.
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