Man Utd 2-2

Independent:

Simon Stone

Wayne Rooney ended a tortuous week by scoring, but David de Gea proved to be Manchester United's hero for saving their FA Cup skins after Sir Alex Ferguson's team threw away a two-goal lead in their quarter-final with Chelsea.
Second-half goals from Eden Hazard and Ramires had pulled the visitors level after Javier Hernandez and Rooney struck early.
It seemed certain Juan Mata would complete a memorable comeback when he stepped inside Jonny Evans in the final minute.
But De Gea, so often the target of criticism, stuck out a leg to keep Mata out and United in the tournament.
The replay will not suit Ferguson, still less so Rafael Benitez given it could potentially force Chelsea into four games in a week or trigger the postponement of a Premier League fixture.
However, both have reason to be thankful, United because their collapse from a position of such immense promise could so easily have been total, Chelsea as at half-time it seemed Benitez was being given another hefty shove towards the Stamford Bridge exit door.
It had all been about Rooney before kick-off, given the intense speculation that followed his omission from the United side that faced Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Yet from the moment he was captured bouncing off the United team bus with a wide smile of greeting for the security staff in attendance, it seemed certain this would be a day of redemption.
Rooney's name was chanted by the United faithful, not in criticism of Ferguson, but in confirmation of the striker being one of them, part of a United family so carefully pieced together by their manager, who until Nani's dismissal in midweek truly believed another Treble was on.
Hernandez, someone with just as great a claim on a starting berth and whom did not appear for a single minute against a team held in so much affection in his native Mexico, had already struck in quite spectacular fashion before Rooney found the net.
Lining up a free-kick wide on the United right, level with the penalty area, Rooney aimed for the far corner.
David Luiz and Jonny Evans both jumped but missed it and by the time Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech could react it was too late. The ball flew into the corner and Rooney had his goal.
He did not really mean it but he took the acclaim anyway, raising his arms and turning slightly to acknowledge those in rapturous celebration.
Rooney nearly got a second in first-half stoppage time, as he deliberately sent another free-kick from a similar position on the other side of the pitch fizzing on to the roof of the net.
United's only other opportunity of that opening period also involved Rooney, but it was far more notable for a ridiculous attempted clearance from Luiz after Cech had saved Rooney's shot, which forced his goalkeeper into another reaction save.
Amid all this, Chelsea had done quite well.
Frank Lampard came close on a couple of occasions, Mata teased the United defence and rolled an inspired backheel into the path of Victor Moses, only for the former Wigan man to screw his shot so badly wide it actually hit the corner flag, prompting the rather cruel taunt of "Are you Torres in disguise?" from the home support.
The vitriol from the away contingent to their own 'interim' boss was even worse when Benitez took Lampard off as part of a double change nine minutes after the re-start.
But Benitez is not quite the no-nothing Chelsea's disgruntled supporters think and his tactical switch worked a treat as one of the men introduced, Hazard, injected fresh hope into the Blues by curling a superb effort into the far corner beyond De Gea.
The impetus it gave Chelsea was marked, and when Rooney lost possession deep in the visitors' half, United were caught out with a classic counter-attack that ended with Ramires expertly drilling home.
It was the second time this season the Brazilian had completed a Chelsea comeback from two goals down against United.
On the first occasion, at Stamford Bridge in October, Chelsea then had two men sent off and were beaten by Hernandez.
This time they managed to keep everyone on the pitch and they would have been the ones to claim victory had it not been for De Gea.

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Guardian:

Chelsea's Ramires secures FA Cup replay as Manchester United blow lead

Daniel Taylor at Old Trafford

For a long time it had looked as though this could be added to the considerable list of indignities engulfing Rafael Benítez. It is not often the chants of "sacked in the morning" emanate from both sets of supporters and, at 2-0, it was shaping up to be the kind of result to accelerate the process of changing that word he dislikes so much. "Interim" might conceivably have become "former" if Chelsea had finished this match as they started.
What happened instead can be partly attributed to the sapping effects a traumatic defeat to Real Madrid had had on Sir Alex Ferguson's players. They looked weary, mentally as well as physically, and were fading badly by the end. Yet those excuses only stretch so far and this still represents a victory of sorts for Benítez. There were cries of "You don't know what you're doing" from Chelsea's supporters when he took off Frank Lampard and Victor Moses early in the second half. He should cherish what followed because these kind of moments have been all too rare in his brief, often tumultuous spell in charge.
It was the notification that this Chelsea team, for all their problems, still have the capacity to trouble accomplished opponents and their badly beleaguered manager does, perhaps, know a thing or two more than the club's mutinous supporters might want to admit. The first goal came from one of his substitutes, Eden Hazard, and was a beauty. The second, from Ramires, followed a wonderful move of classy, incisive counterattacking. Benítez's team have not been renowned for their perseverance and competitive courage under his watch but they would have booked a place at Wembley were it not for an exceptional save from David de Gea, jutting out his right boot to deny Juan Mata in the last minute of normal time. Even then, there were still three separate occasions when Chelsea's adventure and penetration might have won the match and prevented the rigmarole of trying to shoehorn a replay into an already congested fixture schedule.
The transformation was remarkable bearing in mind the way they began the match, riddled with errors, looking short of confidence and perhaps suffering their own fatigue. Ferguson was entitled to blame tired legs and minds but Chelsea, lest it be forgotten, did not get back from their Europa League tie against Steaua Bucharest until the early hours of Friday.
They had looked like obliging opponents at first for a United side trying to shake the Madrid defeat out of their system. The home side's goals both arrived inside the first 11 minutes, first from Javier Hernández and then Wayne Rooney, and Chelsea's defending was so erratic in the first half the damage could have been even more substantial.
It began five minutes in when Hernández peeled away from Gary Cahill and applied just the precise amount of elevation to Michael Carrick's perfectly weighted ball. Carrick's vision and technique, from fully 40 yards, made long-ball football look beautiful but the goal was a wretched moment for Petr Cech, charging off his line and stranded in no man's land as Hernández's twisting, improvised header looped over him.
Rooney, restored to the starting lineup, doubled the lead when a free-kick intended as a cross eluded everyone before bouncing sharply off the turf to deceive Cech and, at that stage, Chelsea were little short of a mess at the back. David Luiz and Demba Ba had both jumped to head the ball and missed. Before half-time Cech had prevented David Luiz scoring an own goal, straight after denying Rooney a second.
As for Chelsea's best opportunity, Moses's effort was so wild it connected with the corner flag. These were moments when Benítez must have felt very lonely as Old Trafford rejoiced in the difficulties for a former Liverpool manager and Chelsea's supporters turned their hostility on him.
He deserves credit because Hazard's introduction played a considerable part in the turnaround. Mata gradually emerged as the outstanding player on the pitch. Cahill had been just as vulnerable as David Luiz in the first half. Yet Chelsea's defenders shook their heads clear after the break and, suddenly, it was the players in red making unforced errors.
By the end, even a player as refined as Carrick was misplacing passes. Rafael da Silva had regressed to the impetuous, raw full-back who can endanger his own team. Patrice Evra was not a great deal better on the opposite side. Ferguson concluded that both his full-backs were "knackered". Fortunately for United, Rio Ferdinand played as though determined to impress the watching Roy Hodgson. His clash with Fernando Torres, a late substitute, aggrieved Chelsea and probably smacked of his own frustrations.
Hazard's goal came seven minutes after replacing Moses, running through the left-hand channel, showing the ball to Da Silva and then curling a right-foot effort into the opposite corner.
After that, Chelsea often pinned back their hosts with the speed and ambition at which they counterattacked. Their equaliser was classy in its creation, with Ba and Oscar both involved as they swept upfield, culminating in a left-foot shot from Ramires that beat De Gea despite the Spaniard getting his fingertips to the ball. Ferguson brought Robin van Persie off the bench and moved Rooney to the left but the tactical change had little effect. Nani had left with a hamstring injury and his replacement, Antonio Valencia, is having an undistinguished season. United, as Ferguson admitted afterwards, were lucky not to be out.

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Telegraph:
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 2
Henry Winter

Rafa’s cracking up? Only with smiles. Chelsea’s besieged interim first-team manager shrugged off catcalls from the Stretford End, continued baiting from his own Chelsea fans and another snub from Sir Alex Ferguson to change the course of this absorbing FA Cup quarter-final with two highly influential substitutions. Fact.
Benítez will never endear himself to Chelsea fans, following ill-considered past remarks, but he deserves praise for bringing on Eden Hazard, who swiftly scored a wonderful goal, and John Obi Mikel, who brought some resilience to a previously passive midfield. A counter-argument could be presented that Benítez should have started Hazard but at least he reacted, at least he made the right call. He is off in the summer but at least he will take the satisfaction of knowing he outwitted Ferguson here with his changes from the bench.
Suddenly, Chelsea remembered they were FA Cup holders. They fought hard, defended better, attacked more and would have won but for another reminder of the remarkable shot-stopping qualities of David de Gea, who stretched out a right boot to deny Juan Mata right at the death.
The replay date has still to be decided because of Chelsea’s Europa League distractions before Manchester City learn their semi-final opponents at Wembley. If United play as powerfully as they started here, they will progress. If United play as weakly as they ended here, they will deservedly be knocked out.
It was United who faded badly here. It was United who looked like they had flown back from Bucharest late on Thursday. For the final half-hour of this tie it was Chelsea who appeared to have enjoyed 46 hours more rest time. The way Benítez’s side attacked in the second half was a reminder of what can transpire if visitors play without fear here.
For United fans, it must have been alarming to watch the life drain from their players. Jonny Evans made some important clearances, De Gea made some crucial saves, and Michael Carrick could hold his head up high for his work in midfield but too many others wilted.
Wayne Rooney was good for 45 minutes, scoring and scheming, but his influence ebbed after the break, particularly when he was again pushed wide when Robin van Persie and then Danny Welbeck came on. United’s other substitute, Antonio Valencia, who had arrived in the first half when Nani hurt a hamstring, looks the shadow of the force of last season.
For almost an hour, all seemed well for Ferguson and woeful for Benítez. Both sets of supporters were still trading toxic songs about Benítez when his team fell behind. Carrick created United’s first after five minutes, picking out Javier Hernández with a drilled, 40-yard pass. Petr Cech totally misjudged the situation, rushing out, gifting space behind him which Hernández found with a calm, accurate header. Gary Cahill also failed to be more alive to Hernández’s movement.
Benítez had paired Cahill and David Luiz, a slight surprise with John Terry available. Seemingly a king in exile in his own domain, Terry looked on from the bench. One day Terry may write his story of his Chelsea career and his views on Benítez will surely make fascinating reading.
The afternoon worsened before it improved for Benítez. After 11 minutes, Rooney took charge of a free-kick in front of the Stretford End, whose residents were singing his name. Rooney curled in the ball which comfortably cleared the two-man wall of Victor Moses and Ashley Cole. It dropped towards a crowd of players, carrying sufficient force to carry it through Luiz’s curls and continue into the net. Rooney smiled and blew a kiss to the United fans.
Chelsea attacked a bit but without real conviction. Jonny Evans blocked a Moses shot. De Gea saved from Frank Lampard. Moses then hit the corner flag, prompting the home support to ask “Are you Torres in disguise?” United were breaking occasionally, looking for a third. Hernández shot over. Cech saved from Rooney and then reacted athletically to push over Luiz’s surreal attempted clearance. Rooney chipped the ball just over.
At the break, many expected Benítez to bring on Terry to organise the defence and push Luiz into midfield to inject some energy. Chelsea needed more direction, more invention, more belief. Benítez waited six minutes and then made his move. The sight of Lampard being withdrawn was greeted by Chelsea fans with chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing”. The Stretford End joined in with “Rafa’s cracking up”.
Not here. The changes worked. Mata picked out Hazard, who wrong-footed Rafael before curling the ball past De Gea just before the hour. With Mikel anchoring, Ramires pushed on more. Within nine minutes of Hazard’s goal, Chelsea equalised through Ramires. Demba Ba and Oscar combined to send Ramires into the area. He turned Evans, and placed a measured left-footed shot past De Gea and in.
Mata almost won it in the 90th minute. Luiz nicked the ball off Van Persie and lifted a fine pass to Mata, who elegantly steered the ball around Evans. Only De Gea’s reflexes kept United in the Cup.
It would not be a game between such rivals without controversy. Off the ball, Rio Ferdinand tripped Fernando Torres and pushed him in the back. The Spaniard looked totally bemused as the United centre-half pulled him back up. Ferdinand’s petulant act requires
an explanation, probably to the Football Association. Howard Webb did not take any action, presumably having missed the incident, so the beaks can intervene.
A well-established enmity resurfaced. At the final whistle, Benítez marched straight to the tunnel, not even waiting for the possibility of being blanked by Ferguson. As he strode off, Benítez could have been forgiven for permitting himself a quiet smile.


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Mail:

Manchester United 2 Chelsea 2: Eden better for Benitez - lonely Rafa changes game as substitute Hazard forces replay

By Martin Samuel

Rafael Benitez approached Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea at the end, and  congratulated him on the save of the match. A sporting gesture? A show of national solidarity? He probably just needs the friends.
Mocked by the home supporters, vilified by the travellers, Old Trafford must have felt a very lonely place for Benitez on Sunday. A goal behind after five minutes and two down six minutes later, his substitutions attracted only derision, particularly the replacement of this season’s cause celebre Frank Lampard.
That these introductions ended up changing the game, and should have led to a Chelsea victory, will give Benitez quiet satisfaction. It hardly matters now.
He is gone at the end of this campaign, even if Chelsea win the FA Cup, the Europa League and qualify for next season’s Champions League
Benitez could end up very  successful and still be looking for work by mid-May.
He would never admit this, but what happens from here is as much a personal quest as any shared mission.
The counter-argument is that Benitez should have started with Eden Hazard, the inspiration for the comeback, and that John Terry’s presence at the heart of defence might have prevented at least one, if not both, Manchester United goals. We will never know.
What is plain is that Chelsea  were the better team from the 52nd-minute substitutions onwards, and created more in the second half than United did before half-time.
De Gea’s save from Juan Mata on 90 minutes ensured a replay, and prevented that rarest of beasts, an away win for a team which trailed at Old Trafford at half-time.
May 7, 1984 was the last time United lost a league match here having led at the interval, yet a three-goal Chelsea revival would not have been undeserved.
Once Benitez replaced the misfiring Victor Moses with Hazard, and brought in Mikel for Lampard, releasing Ramires, the balance of power altered.
Chelsea were rejuvenated and United seemingly on their last legs. Nothing Sir Alex Ferguson did made a difference. Robin van Persie came off the bench and was anonymous, so too Danny Welbeck.
A Chelsea defence that had looked so vulnerable early on grew in assurance, particularly David Luiz.
Meanwhile, Hazard and Juan Mata were linking superbly to wreak havoc on the counter-attack.
Rafael and Patrice Evra were sluggish under threat, Jonny Evans uncertain. Only Rio Ferdinand kept his composure amid Chelsea’s pressure, although he later lost it with Fernando Torres and was lucky to escape the attention of referee Howard Webb.
A game that had seemed moribund was suddenly bursting with life.
It was as if a switch had been flicked. Before Hazard arrived, this was almost a training exercise for United.
They were 2-0 up, coasting, and clearly thought Chelsea offered no threat. Perhaps this was why the second-half surge hit them so hard. Until that point there had only been one team in it.
You can’t give United a two-goal lead and get away with it, is the pervading logic, although Chelsea did. The first attack of significance, a raking long ball from Michael Carrick, picked out Javier Hernandez, who had been given too much space by Gary Cahill.
This error would have been without cost, however, had Petr Cech not come bounding from his goal in a forlorn attempt to sweep up. Hernandez, judging the situation perfectly, lobbed a header into the far corner of the net.
It is often forgotten that the player who is most commonly hard done by at United is the Mexican striker, who would be a favourite son at most clubs in the Premier League — certainly Chelsea, given the problems they have had up front since Didier Drogba left.
It soon got worse for the visitors. Moses fouled Nani wide and Wayne Rooney stood over the free-kick. After the week he has had, one almost knew the script and he did not disappoint.
He whipped the ball in, Luiz, Demba Ba and Evans missed it, and the ball flew directly into the net past a startled Cech. Chelsea looked done and United should have pressed home their advantage.
Hernandez came close at the near post from a cross by Nani, while Rooney had a shot well saved from a low ball in from Evra, which Luiz then inexplicably headed towards his goal while attempting to clear. Cech was equal to it yet again.  
To encapsulate Chelsea’s ineffectuality, a nice one-two between Moses and Mata ended with the striker hitting a shot so wild it nearly found the corner flag. They looked a side low on confidence, class and the wit required to mount a revival against opposition of this quality.
What changed? Hazard changed. He came on and refused to sink into the torpor that had previously affected his team-mates. He arrived and set about a United team that may still be feeling the hangover of Champions League defeat. He took the initiative and went straight to the heart of United’s weakness this season: the defence.
Within seven minutes, Chelsea were back in the game. Mata laid the ball out to Hazard on the left, who capitalised on naivety from Rafael to cut inside and curl an exquisite shot past De Gea.
Nine minutes later, Chelsea were level and in the ascendancy. The goal came from a counter-attack inspired by Luiz. Deployed in central defence, he grew into a good game, yet his best moments invariably put one more in mind of a defensive midfield player.
He brought the ball out from the back with urgency, finding Ba, who moved it on quickly to Oscar and then Ramires on the overlap. His shot took a little kick off the pitch, sending it beyond the reach of De Gea, who got his fingertips to the ball, but without enough firmness to keep it out.
From there, Chelsea were always likelier to score again.
They had shots from range, kept out by De Gea with varying degrees of conviction, but his stop that saved the day was outstanding.
Luiz crossed for Mata, who brought the ball down, beat Evans and then fired a low shot which De Gea just succeeding in diverting for a corner. The keeper competently gathered another late, late effort from Mata, but it his 90th-minute intervention that stood out.
Benitez did not find time for  niceties with Ferguson but, with his players offering collective thanks to the travelling support, he made a point of singling out De Gea for a handshake. He really had nowhere else to go.

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea, Da Silva, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra, Carrick, Cleveley, Nani (Valencia 45), Kagawa (Welbeck 75), Rooney, Hernandez (Van Persie 61). Subs not used: Amos, Anderson, Vidic, Young.
Goals: Hernandez 5, Rooney 11

CHELSEA: Cech, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Ramires, Lampard (Hazard 51), Moses (Mikel 51), Mata, Oscar, Ba (Torres 77). Subs not used: Turnbull, Ivanovic,Terry, Bertrand.
Goals: Hazard 59, Ramires 68
Booked: Azpilicueta, Luiz, Hazard.

Referee: Howard Webb

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Mirror:

Man United 2-2 Chelsea:
Hazard and Ramires goals cap remarkable fightback to secure Stamford Bridge replay
Martin Lipton

Hands up if you saw that coming. Fergie certainly didn’t. Not at half-time. Nor, in truth, did anybody else inside Old Trafford.
But as Rafa Benitez went from staring at humiliation to pondering what should have been, United were left facing their first real doubts of the entire campaign.
A week which began with dreams of the ultimate Treble, cruelly undone by that infamous red card for Nani on Wednesday night, ended with them hanging onto their Double ambitions by the thinnest of threads.
Things can change quickly in football. The past few days have demonstrated that and whenever these two meet again for the right to play Manchester City at Wembley what happened last night will be ­irrelevant.
United, though, perhaps briefly, have lost that effortless sense of poise, that expectation of victory from a state of dominance.
And the way Chelsea came back from the dead to be in a position to thrust the blade in United’s FA Cup heart will perhaps give City hope the title race is not over either.
When Wayne Rooney’s free-kick sailed over and past everybody to put United two up inside 11 minutes, there was surely only one possible outcome.
The ghosts of that defeat by Real Madrid seemed to have been exorcised, Rooney marking his return in fitting style, the Bluessimply all over the place.
Benitez’s game-plan seemed out of the window, too, with the opening goal a defensive shocker, leaving fingers pointing in all directions.
Nothing, though, could detract from the quality of Michael Carrick’s angled ball, Hernandez’s run between Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta or the intelligence with which he headed over Petr Cech, caught in no-man’s land.
It was the Mexican’s seventh goal in nine games against Chelsea. Some record, and when United doubled their advantage it looked like a question of the scale of Sir Alex Ferguson’s triumph over his bitter foe.
A swift counter-attack, initiated by Rooney, was only ended when Victor Moses downed Nani on the left of the box.
Rooney took responsibility, floating the set-piece into the danger area and with David Luiz’s battle with Jonny Evans leaving the ball unmolested, it was past Cech before he could respond.
Chelsea have been there before, of course. Back in November they were two down after 12 minutes and level inside an hour only to fall apart late-on after two red cards.
Yesterday, though, a repeat looked even less likely, so open and exposed were Benitez’s team, the Spaniard still fuming about being blanked by the Scot before the start.
Frank Lampard shot weakly and Victor Moses, teased in by Juan Mata, managed to hit the corner flag.
United, though, were carving them apart. Cech repelled Rooney from Patrice Evra’s cross and then got up to prevent Luiz putting the rebound through his own net. Hernendez, too quick for Azpilicueta at the near post, stabbed a Nani delivery just wide.
But Benitez’s double change soon after the restart, Eden Hazard and John Obi Mikel replacing Lampard and Moses, bore instant fruit.
Mata, always available, came inside to feed Hazard and, with Rafael standing off, the Belgian picked out the far corner.
Momentum shift? Absolutely. Chelsea now monopolising possession, even the entry of Robin van Persie, Rooney pulling left, having no immediate impact.
And mid-way through the period, they were level with a terrific, swift and incisive counter, instigated by Luiz and involving Demba Ba and Oscar.
Even then, there was still plenty for Ramires to do, achieved superbly as the Brazilian stepped inside Evans and eased his left-footer into the bottom corner, despite David De Gea’s touch.
One-way traffic, Chelsea knocking ever louder on the door, United, having been in total command, now all at sea.
Mata, superb, twisted his ankle as he stepped inside ­Rio Ferdinand and then fired too close to De Gea. Torres, on for Ba, lacked conviction with his first chance.
Then, as the game entered stoppage time, the opening they craved after Luiz won the ball and clipped to the back post. Mata juggled past Evans and picked his spot, only for De Gea’s outstretched and leading right foot to divert the ball behind.
Still more chances. Fernando Torres – should we be surprised? – squandered the first before De Gea, saved superbly from Hazard and grasping another effort from the Belgian.
Torres was also involved in an off-the-ball clash with Ferdinand which may be probed by the FA.
But a good day for Rafa, after all. And it might even have been better.
United may start to harbour a few inner worries. Surely they can’t throw it all away again?

How they rated:
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 7; Rafael 6, Ferdinand 7, Evans 5, Evra 6; Carrick 6, Cleverley 5; Kagawa 5 (Welbeck, 76, 6), Rooney 6, Nani 6 (Valencia, 45, 5); Hernandez 7 (Van Persie, 63, 5)
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 7; Azpilicueta 6, Cahill 5, Luiz 6, Cole 6; Ramires 7, Lampard 6 (Mikel, 53, 8); Moses 6 (Hazard, 53, 8), Mata 9, Oscar 6; Ba 5 (Torres, 77, 5)
Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the match: Mata refused to give up the ghost

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Sun:
Shaun Custis

JUAN MATA goes by the nickname of ‘Johnny Kills’.
And but for a brilliant save at the death by fellow Spaniard David De Gea, Mata would have buried United and crowned an astonishing Chelsea comeback.
At half-time no one would have thought Alex Ferguson’s side would be hanging on to get a replay.
United were in cruise control and 2-0 up against a woeful Blues thanks to goals by Javier Hernandez on five minutes and Wayne Rooney after 11.
Questions were once again being asked whether interim boss Rafa Benitez would survive until the end of the season and there was no way you could see Chelsea getting back into it.
They looked a tired, bedraggled outfit, no doubt ready to trot out excuses about having not got back from their Europa League game in Bucharest until the early hours of Friday morning.
When Benitez took off captain Frank Lampard and Victor Moses to bring on Mikel and Eden Hazard early in the second half, the visiting fans went for their hated manager big-style.
‘You don’t know what you’re doing,’ they sang, followed by ‘Rafa Benitez we don’t want you here.’
Lampard did not look too impressed by the decision and applauded his fans but the introduction of Hazard turned out to be inspired.
The £32million Belgian got Chelsea on to the front foot, took the game to the opposition and suddenly United were wobbling. Hazard brought the game to life by curling in a cracker beyond De Gea to reduce the arrears on 59 minutes. And nine minutes later they were level.
David Luiz nicked the ball ahead of Rooney, Demba Ba took it on and fed Oscar who picked out fellow Brazilian Ramires.
There was still plenty to do but Ramires darted to his left and his shot sneaked in via the hand of the diving De Gea.
Chelsea kept up their relentless pressure and Fergie admitted United were lucky to stay in the Cup.
After being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid last Tuesday, it would have been a desperate end to the week had they gone out of another competition.
The boss reckoned they ran out of legs but they looked more mentally shattered than anything else.
It had all begun so well. United were in front when Michael Carrick’s magnificent ball picked out Hernandez and the Mexican striker’s header was a beauty over stranded keeper Petr Cech.
It was a 16th goal of the season for the Little Pea in only his 18th start and underlined just how valuable he is at Old Trafford even though he is not a first choice.
You would have put your house on Rooney getting a goal in the wake of the debate about his omission from the Real game.
And as soon as Moses fouled Nani, Rooney stepped up for the free-kick.
He arrowed the ball towards the far post and it bounced between five Chelsea defenders and into the net. Rooney looked a tad embarrassed but milked it all the same. The visitors were so bad it felt like it was over there and then.
Hernandez was just wide from Nani’s cross then Rooney shot at Cech from Patrice Evra’s cross.
When the ball came back out, Luiz headed back towards his own goal and Cech did well to tip it over.
England boss Roy Hodgson watching on must have been having palpitations at the thought of Gary Cahill playing in his defence in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
By contrast Rio Ferdinand, a man he has consistently ignored, was commanding at the other end.
When Chelsea did find a way through, Moses sliced a good chance so far wide it hit the corner flag, to much hilarity.
Back in defence, Luiz hacked a ball high into the sky virtually out of Cech’s hands. United lost Nani — this time through injury rather than a sending off — and in his absence his team again lost their way.
Mata got a firm grip on the midfield and it was all United could do just to clear their lines.
Hazard found space and Oscar, who has struggled to justify his £24m tag, upped his own game.
Fergie was asked about Benitez’s position at Chelsea in the pre-match Press conference and joked he would not kick a man when he was lying down.
But it was Fergie who got the kicking as Hazard and Ramires scored and Ferdinand clashed with sub Fernando Torres before Mata almost won it — De Gea saving superbly with his foot.
Manchester City await the winners of the replay. United are just grateful still to be in it.

DREAM TEAM STAR MAN — JUAN MATA (Chelsea)

MAN UTD: De Gea 7, Rafael 5, Evans 6, Ferdinand 7, Evra 5, Carrick 8, Cleverley 5, Nani 7 (Valencia 5), Kagawa 6 (Welbeck 6), Rooney 5, Hernandez 7 (Van Persie 6). Subs not used: Amos, Anderson, Vidic, Young.

CHELSEA: Cech 5, Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 6, Cahill 5, Cole 6, Ramires 7, Lampard 5 (Mikel 7), Moses 5 (Hazard 8) Mata 9, Oscar 7, Ba 5 (Torres 5). Subs not used: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand. Booked: Azpilicueta, Luiz, Hazard.
REF: H Webb 7

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Express:

Manchester United 2 - Chelsea 2: Rafa has the last word this time
RAFAEL BENITEZ added a smug smile of satisfaction to his renowned thick skin after turning this extraordinary FA Cup tie on its head.

Richard Tanner

Rarely does a manager receive abuse from both sets of fans, but that was the lot of the beleaguered Benitez after 52 minutes when Chelsea were 2-0 down and he took off crowd favourite Frank Lampard and Victor Moses.
Chelsea followers cried “you don’t know what you’re doing” while their Manchester United counterparts, recalling his “facts rant” during his time at Liverpool, taunted him with “Rafa’s cracking up”.
But Benitez rammed their words back down their throats when the two men he sent on, Eden Hazard and, to a lesser extent John Obi Mikel, changed the course of the game and earned a replay.
In the end only a brilliant last- minute save by David De Gea from Juan Mata denied Chelsea a memorable win and prevented United from crashing out of a second competition in a week.
Certainly, the emotional and physical exertions of their roller-coaster Champions League exit to Real Madrid took its toll in the second half when they ran out of legs. Ferguson had made four changes, while Chelsea made five after their long Europa League trip to Bucharest, but the Londoners finished the stronger team.
Whatever the problems are at Stamford Bridge and the lack of support for their manager, the spirit of the players appears strong, underlined by the way they came back from conceding two goals in the opening 11 minutes. There was a time when these two teams used to slug out tense, cautious affairs, but not any more. Their last five encounters have seen them share an astonishing 28 goals.
Striker Javier Hernandez loves playing against Chelsea and he justified his inclusion in place of Robin van Persie by putting United in front after only five minutes. Michael Carrick’s lofted diagonal pass left keeper Petr Cech and Gary Cahill stranded and Hernandez had the presence of mind and skill to send a superb looping header into the far corner from a tight angle. Wayne Rooney also marked his recall with the second goal, though his strike was rather more fortuitous.
His curling free-kick should have been headed clear by either David Luiz or Demba Ba, but Jonny Evans’ presence appeared to put both of them off, the ball eluded everyone and crept in at the far post.
Chelsea dusted themselves down and came into the game towards half-time. Moses should have pulled one back, but after making space for himself sliced his shot embarrassingly wide.
But Benitez rammed their words back down their throats...
Just before the break, Nani’s nightmare week was completed when he limped off with a hamstring injury, but United ended the half well on top when Rooney dropped an audacious chip on to the top of the net.
There was a discernible improvement in Chelsea in the second half, especially when Hazard was introduced. Ramires had already burst through and shot wide when he should have got his effort on target, but Hazard scored within seven minutes of coming on. He received Mata’s pass on the edge of the penalty area and as Rafael stood off, he curled a shot into the far corner.
Ferguson was sufficiently alarmed to send on the cavalry in the shape of Van Persie for Hernandez.
But it didn’t stop Chelsea from equalising after 68 minutes, following a superb breakaway sparked by Luiz intercepting Van Persie’s intended pass to Rooney. Luiz charged out of defence and Ba, then Oscar were involved before the overlapping Ramires curled his shot past De Gea.
Danny Welbeck came on for Shinji Kagawa, but United had tired badly, their passing accuracy suffered and there looked only one winner.
Rio Ferdinand was lucky none of the officials spotted him knocking sub Fernando Torres to the ground in a fit of frustration off the ball. But United’s biggest let-off came in the last minute when De Gea produced a brilliant save with his outstretched right boot to prevent man of the match Mata from grabbing the winner.
It was no great surprise that Benitez didn’t shake hands with old foe Ferguson or share a glass of wine afterwards. But there was no mistaking who was the happier manager.

===================

Star:

MAN UTD 2 - CHELSEA 2: TREBLE TO TROUBLE

Dave Woods

FIVE days ago we were talking of a treble – now it is a tremble!
On Tuesday they lost a 1-0 lead to crash 2-1, and 3-2 on aggregate, to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Yesterday Sir Alex Ferguson’s men blew a 2-0 lead, in place by the 11th minute, in this FA Cup quarter-final.
And they only held on by the skin of their teeth – or rather the tip of keeper David De Gea’s boot.
They remain 12 points clear of Man City in the league but their big rivals will have gleaned some hope from the frailties shown at Old Traffrord in the last two games.
Against Madrid, there was the excuse of Nani’s dismissal in the 56th minute to explain their collapse.
Yesterday, Nani again went off again – with a thigh injury just before half-time – and they fell away again, although the loss of the winger could not have been that much of a handicap.
His replacement, Antonia Valencia, certainly did not have the impact of Chelsea’s 52nd-minute substitute Eden Hazard.
The playmaker scored the Cup holders’ first and – in tandem with the excellent Juan Mata – was at the heart of the Blues highly-creative second-half.
Boss Rafa Benitez also deserves credit for withdrawing the ineffective Victor Moses and out-of-sorts Frank Lampard, with Hazard and John Obi Mikel’s introduction sparking the west Londoners’ lift-off.
England boss Roy Hodgson was at Old Trafford and would have been impressed by the wonderful reverse pass from Michael Carrick, which picked out the run of Javier Hernandez in the fifth minute.
Drifting away from Gary Cahill, the Mexican saw Petr Cech hesitate as he came off his line and brilliantly lifted a header over the keeper and high into the net.
It was the sixth time in seven encounters with the Blues that Hernandez had scored against them.
Cech did no better in the 11th minute when a Wayne Rooney free-kick from the left – which was meant as a cross – possibly got the slightest of touches as Jonny Evans jumped with David Luiz before drifting to the left of the keeper and in. Evans, though, did not claim it.
It was a big boost for Rooney, albeit a lucky one, after a difficult week for the Old Trafford superstar which had seen him left out of the team who crashed out to Real on Tuesday.
In truth, though, the overweight-looking Rooney did shine yesterday.
In the 22nd minute, Chelsea had a great chance to hit back when Mata burst through the United backline.
As the Spaniard squared for Lampard, a goal looked on but all his skipper could do was curl a weak shot straight into De Gea’s hands,
Soon after, a cracking cross from Nani was flicked just the wrong side of the near post by Hernandez. Patrice Evra then produced a similarly excellent ball, this time from the left, which Rooney connected well with.
But Cech pushed the striker’s side-footed effort into the air and then had to react sharply as David Luiz unsuccessfully tried to head the ball over the bar, forcing his keeper to spring up and tip over.
Tom Cleverley then struck a fierce 25-yard drive into Cech’s midriff. And Ba was greedy, shooting from over 25 yards out with Moses and Oscar in support.
A clever back-heel from Mata put Oscar in with a sight of goal in the 39th minute but the Brazilian’s left-foot shot flew away from goal.
The arrival of substitutes Mikel and Hazard in place of Lampard and Moses did not please the travelling support – especially the withdrawal of the skipper. The abuse of Benitez intensified but in the 59th minute, Chelsea were back in it thanks to one of those subs.
Cutting from right to left, Mata picked out Hazard just outside the box and the Belgium ace bent a superb shot around De Gea and into the top corner.
There was no delight from Benitez, just a word into the ear of Ashley Cole. He did celebrate briefly, though, in the 68th minute when his men equalised.
Ba picked out Oscar and he quickly spotted Ramires to his right in a great position. The Brazilian then thrust into the box, cut back – deceiving Evans in the process – and stroked past De Gea into the bottom corner.
In the 90th minute, Benitez was almost celebrating a superb winner from Mata but De Gea kept out the Spaniard’s left-foot shot with the tip of his boot.
Substitute Fernando Torres missed a great chance in stoppage time and De Gea parried a blast from Hazard, who also had a softer shot in the last piece of action.
There was no handshake between Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson at the end.
But it was obvious who was the happier.

Steaua Bucharest 0-1

Independent:

Steaua Bucharest 1 Chelsea 0
Gloom for Rafa Benitez as Blues warm up for FA Cup quarter-final with European defeat
Matt Mcgeehan

Rafael Benitez's Chelsea suffered a lacklustre defeat to Steaua Bucharest in their Europa League last-16 first-leg clash at the National Arena.
In the first of two games in four days and the Blues' 50th game of a turbulent season, last season's Champions League winners went behind after 34 minutes when Ryan Bertrand was penalised for pulling back Raul Rusescu, who converted the spot-kick.
Just like Sunday's opponents Manchester United, Chelsea warmed up for the FA Cup quarter-final with a European defeat, but at least their rivals were defeated by Real Madrid. The result in the Romanian capital will only serve to increase the pressure on interim manager Benitez.
Chelsea began the season in contention for seven trophies and the Europa League is the unexpected eighth after their embarrassing Champions League group stage exit which prompted Benitez's unpopular appointment.
Two chances of silverware remain, but chief executive Ron Gourlay this week insisted a top-four place in the Barclays Premier League and Champions League football next term is the priority.
It is just as well as now they must beat United and overturn a deficit to Steaua in next week's return to keep their trophy hopes alive.
John Terry would not have expected to be playing a key role in the second-tier continental competition this term, but in Bucharest the captain was brought in as one of five changes to the side which beat West Brom.
Due to his recent fitness travails, it must be questionable if the skipper will start at Old Trafford, when the Blues bid to continue their FA Cup defence.
Terry was an unused substitute in Prague in the last round, something which sparked stories of dissatisfaction which were swiftly quashed before dressing room tensions resurfaced.
Steaua, 12 points clear domestically, had shown their ability by overcoming a first-leg deficit to beat Ajax on penalties and Chelsea needed to start better than in the previous round.
An expectant partisan crowd made Benitez feel at home, jeering every time Chelsea had possession as the hosts refused to be intimidated.
Scarcely did they have reason to boo as the hosts enjoyed far superior territory and possession, including three corners in the first 15 minutes and a tame shot wide from the impressive Alexandru Chipciu.
The Blues sat deep and were attempting to play on the counter-attack, with Oscar through the middle, Hazard on the left and Yossi Benayoun on the right behind lone front man Fernando Torres. However, they struggled to string three passes together on a bumpy pitch.
At one point Torres - targeted by a laser pen in the first half - latched on to Petr Cech's long clearance on the right flank, skipped by his marker on the byline, before tackling himself as he prepared to cross to his arriving team-mates.
Chelsea's first corner came after 24 minutes - with Branislav Ivanovic heading Frank Lampard's set-piece wide - and they threatened little in the 10 minutes that followed before going behind.
Left-back Iasmin Latovlevici, earmarked as a dangerman by Benitez on the eve of the match, crossed with the outside of his right foot towards Rusescu, whose attempts to reach the ball were thwarted by a pull from Bertrand.
Referee Sergey Karasev booked the left-back, playing in place of Ashley Cole, and Rusescu sent the resulting spot-kick under Cech.
The Blues were roused into action and had a chance for an equaliser within five minutes following neat interplay between Benayoun and Hazard, but the Israeli's shot was turned around the post by Ciprian Tatarusanu.
The goalkeeper saved a Torres effort on the turn and John Obi Mikel had to be alert to stop Chipciu on the counter, with the Blues exposed.
Time and again the hosts troubled the Blues early in the second period, with David Luiz and Terry forced into some last-ditch interceptions.
A lofted Lampard pass would not drop for Torres in the area, before Juan Mata replaced Benayoun with Chelsea in desperate need of a spark.
Hazard volleyed over after a hopeful Lampard cross fell to him at the back post before the ineffective Belgian was replaced by Marko Marin, the only forward option remaining on the Blues bench.
Tatarusanu saved from Marin after he cut inside on to his right foot and Luiz fired a 30-yard free-kick over soon after.
Terry's brief role as an auxiliary striker ended when he committed a foul challenging the goalkeeper - and he finished the contest on the defensive.

=============

Guardian:

Lacklustre Chelsea succumb to Steaua Bucharest's first-half penalty
Dominic Fifield at the Arena Nationala

Europe was supposed to set Rafael Benítez apart but at present it is merely adding to his angst. Chelsea were beaten again here and must now turn over a deficit in next week's return leg in London if they are to force passage beyond Steaua Bucharest into the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Recovery is not beyond them in the tie but, with a wounded Manchester United to come on Sunday and their own confidence bruised, a pervading sense of anxiety persists.
Nothing has been simple about this traumatic season, so perhaps this latest setback was partly to be expected. The reigning European champions rarely imposed themselves on an occasion that cried out for dynamism, their urgency reserved for the period just after they had conceded the game's only goal and then, later, as Steaua retreated in on themselves. Benítez pointed to the excellence of the home goalkeeper, Ciprian Tatarusanu, as evidence of dominance but, in truth, this was never impressive.
Rather Chelsea can appear jaded when games are drifting and the onus is on them to inject pace and creativity into a contest. They looked sluggish for periods, perhaps grateful that Steaua had not torn into them from the outset, but their own head of steam was belated and rather fitful. Tatarusanu denied the substitute Marko Marin at his near post, the German having been found wonderfully by John Terry's raking pass to the far side. But that, seven minutes from time, was as close as they came as they chased an equaliser late on. This was the 50th game of a slog of a season that has been accompanied by too many disappointments already. It felt too mundane, too nondescript, too familiar.
Even the sense of injustice at the award of the decisive penalty was half-hearted. The visitors had appeared relatively content in a mishmash of a goalless opening until the moment Iasmin Latovlevici found rare space down the left to fling over a fine cross towards Raul Rusescu, looming above Ryan Bertrand at the far post. The full-back, one of a quintet of changes from Saturday's victory over West Bromwich Albion, was panicked by the striker's presence and tugged him down as he sprang to connect, with the Russian official acknowledging the offence.
"It was a soft penalty to give with so many officials around the goal, but, if it was, why no red card? Strange," said Benítez. His opinion was echoed by his opposite number, Laurentiu Reghecampf. Steaua had prevailed against Ajax in the previous round on penalties, so there was no surprise that Rusescu thumped the spot-kick emphatically through Petr Cech's attempt to save, and the visitors were breached. Somewhere amid the vociferous home support, around 500 travelling supporters high up in the gods offered a collective snarl of frustration.
What chances the visitors created thereafter were battered away by Tatarusanu. Arguably the clearest came in the immediate aftermath of Rusescu's reward, Eden Hazard competing for a bouncing ball and, once he had controlled possession and with Steaua defenders complaining about his high boot, exchanging passes expertly with Yossi Benayoun. The Belgian's return liberated his team-mate with a clear sight of goal, only for Benayoun to scuff his shot from the edge of the area, allowing Tatarusanu to save at full stretch. The goalkeeper was not quite as irked by Fernando Torres' volley just before the break, even if the striker chiselled out the opportunity impressively to force a save at the near post. One of these days such an opportunity might actually fly in for him.
Yet this was more of the same for the Spaniard (pictured), all the huff and puff going unrewarded until it gave way to exasperation, his endeavour forever undermined by a heavy touch, an anxious delivery or, quite simply, a poor decision. The game had drifted past the hour when Frank Lampard's deliciously arced diagonal pass fell to him as he edged unopposed into the area. Yet where once he would have cushioned, spun and snapped off a shot at goal, he chose instead to lay the ball off into space at his back. Steaua gratefully scrambled it clear.
The forward's industry remains but his bite is blunt to the tune of one goal in 18 matches. He had been targeted by a fan with a laser during the first half – how he must have wished the local could have used it to direct him towards goal – and his body language had taken on a familiar defeatist look by the end. Chelsea must hope it does not rub off on others.
What positives that could be gleaned centred on Terry's strong performance – the captain will hope he has proved he can feature at Manchester United on Sunday, even if the recent trend is to deny him two outings within a few days – as well as the reality that Steaua did not add further to their lead."We know these ties can be more difficult if you do not score in the away game, so we have to do everything in the home match," added Benítez. "We are disappointed but we still have the belief we can go through. As for Sunday [in the FA Cup], that is another challenge." That will be game 51 of a season that remains trying.

=================

Telegraph:
Steaua Bucharest 1 Chelsea 0:
Paul Kelso

Chelsea’s season keeps getting harder. The European champions, whose defence ended earlier than any previous holders, are now in danger of dropping out of the booby prize early too.
A 1-0 first-leg defeat to Steaua Bucharest is not irreversible next week at Stamford Bridge, but to the players, manager and owner of a proud club it was another embarrassment in a chastening season.
It will also further test faith in Benitez, who rotated his squad ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Old Trafford, but against committed opponents backed by a fiercely partisan crowd found himself short of a cutting edge.
Benitez made five changes from the side that beat West Bromwich Albion last Saturday and saw two of them exposed. Steaua’s goal came courtesy of a penalty conceded by Ryan Bertrand, selected ahead of Ashley Cole, and Juan Mata’s replacement Yossi Benayoun failed to take Chelsea’s best chance of the game.
In a game of few clear chances on a poor pitch they were costly mistakes. Chelsea may not relish the Europa League but no one could accuse Steaua and their fans of not taking it seriously.
As Champions League winners, Chelsea have a target on their back, and by the end the 54,000 inside the National Arena were in raptures as their team did a lap of honour.
The exception was a knot of several hundred Chelsea fans who had no chance of making their displeasure heard above the din.
This result will not have changed their view of Benitez, but the other glaring flaw in this side, Fernando Torres, is not a problem of his making.
It is not news that Torres struggled to make an impact — he has now scored just once in 18 appearances - but it is barely credible that despite the millions at Chelsea’s disposal they have only two strikers, and only one eligible for this competition.
Benitez said that he had no regrets about making changes as his squad clocked up their 50th game of the season, and argued tenuously that the penalty award was harsh.
Bertrand was penalised after being caught on the wrong side of Raul Rusescu, and throwing his arm across the striker’s chest to block his attempt to get on the end of a cross.
Referee Sergey Karasev did not hesitate to award a penalty and a yellow-card, though there was a clear case for red, a point Steaua’s coach Laurentiu Reghecampf made after the game. Rusescu picked himself up and drilled the spot-kick confidently past Petr Cech’s right hand.
“I think it was a difficult game, a great atmosphere for them, and a soft penalty,” Benitez said. “Their goalkeeper made some good saves and, obviously, we have to do our best at Stamford Bridge.
"It will be difficult because they are well organised and are good on the counter-attack but we have to have confidence that we can do well at Stamford Bridge.”
He defended Bertrand, and said his side created the better of few chances: “Ryan was playing before, against Sparta Prague, and was doing really well.
“We didn’t create many chances ourselves, but they weren’t either. If you consider that Petr [Cech] wasn’t making any saves, it was their goalkeeper who was actually making the great saves.”
After narrowly overcoming Sparta Prague it was immediately obvious Chelsea faced a challenge of a different order here.
Tickets for the game sold out in five hours and the hostility was evident when Chelsea emerged for the warm-up with the stadium only a third full.
The atmosphere was revved up even more before kick-off as the giant screens showed highlights of Steaua’s win on penalties against Ajax in the last round, a warning of their quality.
Chelsea came under immediate pressure but gradually asserted themselves.
John Terry, restored to the team, and David Luiz were busy but effective in protecting Cech, and Chelsea had the home team at arm’s length when the first moment of genuine quality brought the goal. Benitez had identified full-back Iasmin Latovlevici as a threat before the game and his wonderful cross, fired in with the outside of his left foot, was enough to expose Bertrand.
Chelsea came close in the 38th minute when Ciprian Tatarusanu saved well from Benayoun whose rolled finish was accurate but lacked the pace to beat the goalkeeper.
With Chelsea struggling as an attacking force, Benitez inevitably called on Mata with 25 minutes to go, and then Marko Marin for Hazard.
It almost did the trick. Marin worked an opening in the 82nd minute, cutting inside Latovlevici. His shot from a narrow angle was firm but straight at Tatarusanu. David Luiz came close with a free-kick from 35 yards shortly afterwards but it dipped over the bar, on a similar trajectory to Chelsea’s season.

===============

Mail:

Steaua Bucharest 1 Chelsea 0: Rusescu's penalty ensures defeat No 13 to leave Blues facing Europa League exit

By MATT BARLOW

Rafa Benitez can cling to the idea Chelsea might win this competition, but here was defeat No 13 of the season to enhance the feeling that this is a campaign drifting towards an inevitable end under its interim manager.
On they go to Manchester United on Sunday in their favourite competition, but the FA Cup holders could be out of everything by this time next week — and at least that would put them out of their misery.
Here they were beaten by a spirited if limited Steaua Bucharest team who celebrated wildly after securing the first-leg lead with a first-half penalty from Raul  Rusescu following a foul by Ryan Bertrand, and might have won by more.
Benitez made his customary five changes to the team but showed no hint of regret about it and, in fairness, it was ultimately a strikeforce worth more than £100million which failed to score an away goal in Romania.
‘We are disappointed but we still have the belief we can do it at home,’ said Benitez.
This is true. This time last year, Chelsea were reversing a 3-1 defeat in Napoli in the Champions League but they are not the same team. They look deflated and mentally tired after the 50th game of another intense, emotional and complicated season. Steaua in contrast are on an upward curve, back on top of Romanian football after a barren spell.
Twelve points clear at the top of the league, closing in on their first domestic title since 2006 and flying the flag abroad, as they did when they won the European Cup in 1986, they performed a full lap of honour at the end.
Having beaten Ajax in the last round, there was a sense of giddiness about Chelsea coming to town, typified by the club’s eccentric owner Gigi Becali, who said he was hoping to see Roman Abramovich and compare suits.
Becali did indeed look very smart as he beamed down from the posh seats.
But Abramovich was not in Bucharest. The Stamford Bridge board members have become a little less visible in recent weeks, although technical director Michael Emenalo did make the trip.  Perhaps it was as well the majority missed this one,
Steaua were hungry and energetic, quick to each ball and roared on by a noisy crowd firmly up for the occasion.
The home team coped better than Chelsea with a heavy surface, controlling the game for long periods, without really troubling Petr Cech too often.
Cech was well protected by central defenders John Terry and David Luiz — the best players in blue shirts.
Unusually, Terry played on the right, not his preferred left, another clue that his influence may be fading. The captain produced a strong display, but it was Ashley Cole’s absence which was keenly felt in the 34th minute.
Bertrand has been very dependable when he has been asked to step in, never more than when he started in the Champions League final in Munich, but there was a hint of inexperience about the penalty the 23-year-old conceded.
Rusescu managed to wriggle past  Bertrand and was goal-side of the left back as Steaua’s Iasmin Latovlevici teased in a splendid cross from the right with the outside of his left foot.
Bertrand tried to recover, dropping an arm across Rusescu’s shoulder and this was all the encouragement needed for the striker to collapse.  As Russian referee Sergei Karasev awarded the penalty it was hard to escape the feeling Cole would not have fallen into the same trap.
It was ‘harsh’ according to Benitez but, having been judged to have hauled down Rusescu as he was about to nod the ball into the net, Bertrand was  fortunate not to be sent off. Rusescu  converted his spot-kick for his 23rd goal of the season and Chelsea responded well, forcing goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu into action for the first time as half-time loomed.
Tatarusanu saved to his right from Yossi Benayoun’s low drive and to his left from Fernando Torres, but the  danger was evident. As Chelsea started to search for an away goal Steaua were more dangerous on the counter-attack.
John Mikel Obi made a timely tackle in his own penalty area to end one such break and Cristian Tanase smashed a volley wide after the interval when he ought to have hit the target.
Torres, as is his way these days, toiled hard. Signs of strength and admirable industry were blended in with poor  control and heavy-legged dashes.
One moment summed it up, when a ball landed at his feet, in a central  position, just inside the penalty area.
With keeper Tatarusanu exposed, it begged to be hit at goal, but Torres cushioned it back towards his own goal in the hope someone might be there to shoot. No-one was.
Benitez threw on Juan Mata and Marko Marin. An away goal would have transformed the mood but a Marin effort was saved and Luiz’s 25-yard  free-kick went wide.
It is a seventh defeat in 29 games for Benitez, but at least it was so noisy it was impossible to hear the Chelsea fans making their feelings known.
Steaua: Tatarusanu, Rapa, Szukala, Chiriches, Latovlevici, Bourceanu, Pintilii (Prepelita 58), Popa, Chipciu, Tanase (Tatu 82), Rusescu(Gardos 90).

Subs not used: Stanca, Filip, Iancu, Adi.
Booked: Pintili.
Goals: Rusesco (pen) 34.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Bertrand, Lampard, Mikel, Benayoun (Mata 64), Oscar, Hazard (Marin 75), Torres.

Subs not used: Turnbull, Cole, Ferreira, Cahill, Azpilicueta.
Booked: Bertrand, Mikel.

Referee: Sergei Karasev (Russia)

=================

Sun:

Mark Irwin

A WORD of warning for all our Romanian chums queuing up to come to Britain in the New Year — not everyone gets £180,000 a week for doing nothing.
Only Fernando Torres.

It is not difficult to understand why the good people of Bucharest think we are such a soft touch when they see an underachiever like Torres being so spectacularly rewarded.
So it worth pointing out the £50million Chelsea striker is not part of our benefits culture and does have a job.
He just does not do it very often.
In his two-and-a-bit years on the Chelsea payroll, Torres has ‘earned’ somewhere in the region of £19m for the square route of eff all.
In his defence, the tax he has paid on that fortune has probably bankrolled an NHS hospital or two.
But he has also contributed to the unemployment figures by bringing about the sacking of three Chelsea managers who were unable to squeeze a decent performance from Roman Abramovich’s pet project.
Now Rafa Benitez is heading for the dole queue after failing to rekindle the confidence of the player he turned into a superstar at Liverpool.
For, after an encouraging burst of form following Benitez’s appointment as interim manager in November, Torres has quickly reverted to type.
His only goal since Christmas came against League One Brentford and although he tried to claim the Ramires shot that brushed in off his back at Middlesbrough last week, even Benitez was not giving him that one.
He was only playing last night because Demba Ba is ineligible for the Europa League and Chelsea do not have any other strikers in their squad.
And it is a fair bet that when they head to Old Trafford for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final, Torres will be back on the subs’ bench.
For if Chelsea had been carrying any kind of goal threat in Bucharest they would not now be facing elimination from their SEVENTH different competition of the season.
It was a year ago on Monday Andre Villas-Boas was sacked and a team seemingly in chaos engineered the most unexpected finale to a season in its history... it is very hard to see a similar turn-around this time.
In their 50th game of the season, it was all Chelsea could do to give themselves a fighting chance of salvaging this tie next Thursday at the Bridge. With a 54,000 sell-out crowd whistling every Chelsea touch, this was always going to be a real test of character for Benitez’s players.
So it was a good thing they had Euro veterans John Terry and Frank Lampard to steady their nerves.
For while Steaua were able to dominate in terms of possession, they could rarely find the final pass to seriously threaten Petr Cech’s goal.
The runaway Romanian league leaders overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Ajax on penalties in the previous round and were clearly no mugs. But there was a steely determination about much of Chelsea’s play which suggested that, maybe, they are treating the Europa League seriously.
Branislav Ivanovic had the chance to head them into a 24th-minute lead but nodded wide from Lampard’s corner.
Just when it was starting to look like Chelsea were taking control, they were caught out in the 34th minute.
Iasmin Latovlevici’s cross found Ryan Bertrand isolated on the wrong side of Raul Rusescu inside the six-yard box and as he tried to retrieve the situation he pulled the striker to the ground. Rusescu’s penalty was hard and low and even though Cech went the right way he could not get a strong enough touch to keep it out.
Chelsea could have been level within four minutes when Eden Hazard’s pass presented Yossi Benayoun with time and space in the area.
His precise shot was heading for the bottom corner but lacked the power to beat keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.
They had another chance just before half-time when Torres’ shot on the turn was pushed behind.
Marko Marin was also denied by Tatarusanu late on but by then Chelsea were happy to get to the whistle with just a one-goal deficit to salvage.

DREAM TEAM STAR MAN - JOHN TERRY (Chelsea)

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Luiz 7, Terry 8, Bertrand 5, Benayoun 5, Mikel 6, Oscar 6, Lampard 7, E Hazard 6, Torres 5. Subs: Mata (Benayoun 65) 6, Marin (Hazard 75) 6. Not used: Turnbull, Cole, Cahill, Ferreira, Azpilicueta. Booked: Bertrand, Mikel.

STEAUA: Tatarusanu, Rapa, Szukala, Chiriches, Latovlevici, Bourceanu, Pintilii (Prepelita 58), Popa, Chipciu, Tanase (Tatu 82), Rusescu (Gardos 90). Not used: Stanca, Filip, Iancu, Adi. Booked: Pintilii.
REF: S Karasev (Rus) 7.

===================

West Bromwich Albion 1-0

Independent:

Chelsea 1 West Bromwich Albion 0
Narrow win leaves Rafael Benitez tense... but not past tense

Steve Tongue

Historically, Chelsea teams have rarely made things easy and they did not do so for either their manager or a divided crowd here yesterday. Promising beginnings and a goal tapped in by Demba Ba suggested West Bromwich Albion might be swept aside, but failure to score a second one spawned impatience and put the spotlight and pressure back on Rafa Benitez later on.

Those supporters apparently craving a defeat to hasten his exit became torn between that and wanting Frank Lampard to acquire his 200th goal for the club, which would be only two behind Bobby Tambling's club record. Neither outcome materialised, just a vaguely satisfactory victory that carried the team into third place before Tottenham's derby against Arsenal this afternoon. Assuming Benitez is given more time – and no assumption carries any degree of certainty at this club – he must now negotiate two games with Steaua Bucharest, the clear leaders of the Romanian League, an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford next Sunday, and then the continuation of a favourable run of fixtures that should keep Chelsea in the running for a top four finish.
Defeats by Albion hastened the downfall of the two previous Chelsea managers, Roberto di Matteo and Andre Villas-Boas – the latter a year ago today. Those games were both at the Hawthorns where Chelsea have recently struggled, although Stamford Bridge has never been a successful hunting ground for yesterday's visitors, whose last League success here was as long ago as 1978. Another one would have been undeserved, for they could easily have been three goals behind at half-time before threatening only late in the game to capitalise on the increasing tension around the ground.
With their leading scorer Romelu Lukaku unable to play against his parent club, Shane Long was flying solo in attack and found that a demanding assignment against Branislav Ivanovic and David Luiz. In the end Petr Cech needed to make two saves all afternoon, both from direct free-kicks. "When you're only one goal behind you've always got a chance," said the West Bromwich manager Steve Clarke, a far more popular figure here than Benitez after 12 years as a player and eight as coach. His disappointment and complaint yesterday was: "We went to sleep at a set-play."
Benitez picked Oscar, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, much as Di Matteo had often done, and their interchanging and interpassing in the first hour at least was often a delight. Half a dozen chances materialised before the interval and Albion would have been beyond salvation but for some good work by their goalkeeper Ben Foster, who has made himself available for England again and was being watched by his former West Bromwich manager Roy Hodgson. Early on he saved at close range as Ba crossed for Oscar; the Brazilian then set up Mata to volley wide before a goal arrived to settle the crowd and the team for a while.
Luiz had won a corner with a fierce free-kick that Foster just managed to turn round a post after a deflection. From the short corner between Lampard and Oscar to which Albion were slow to react, Oscar's deep cross was headed back by Luiz for Ba to tap in. Mata was just wide after more incisive passing, and after Oscar's volley from a corner – looking like another smart training ground move – was blocked, so were shots from Mata and Cesar Azpilicueta from a move involving all three of Chelsea's midfield musketeers.
Amid this domination, Albion's only threat was Steven Reid's 25‑yard free-kick in the sixth minute, turned over the bar by Cech. There was nothing else from the visitors until a similar effort by their own controversial figure, Peter Odemwingie, in that uncomfortable last 10 minutes. His shot was dipping under the bar until Cech turned it for another corner, from which he was almost beaten by a misplaced header from his own full back Azpilicueta.
What Chelsea had needed was a goal round the hour-mark to avoid any tension. It was promised; Lampard was denied his 200th goal because Mata was rightly given offside, and when Jonas Olsson bundled into Hazard no penalty was given, offering Benitez the chance for some theatrics.
So impatience spread and the chants with it, the most hostile of them countered by support for the team, though never the manager. Fernando Torres received an equally mixed reception, coming on for the last three minutes, by which time Oscar had missed two more chances to calm everyone down.

=======================

Observer:

Demba Ba sees Chelsea to victory over West Bromwich Albion
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

A smattering of homemade cardboard placards were hoisted up in the stands here, with one banner, that looked as if it had even been professionally produced, draped from the top tier of the Shed End, to accompany the usual choruses of disdain directed at the dug-out. And yet, as Jonas Olsson skewed the visitors' final opportunity high and wide to prompt the final whistle, Rafael Benítez could actually reflect with relative satisfaction upon an afternoon that had felt destined to be fraught.
Chelsea had eased beyond West Bromwich Albion, a side who have made a habit of guillotining the London club's managers in recent times, and restored themselves to third in the league, if potentially for only 24 hours. All the points Benítez had made in his monologue at Middlesbrough in midweek, and reiterated again on the eve of this game, still stand. His team did look nervous in the latter stages when anxiety reared again in the stands, and there were periods when the crowd had seemed preoccupied in condemning his presence. But the home support always counter-balanced that abuse with hollered support for their team.
This, if anything, ended up as a relatively measured protest at his stewardship, with the locals ever conscious that the home players – some of whom have proved rather too fragile this term – need reminding of their backing. "The fans, today, were behind the team, the atmosphere was very positive," said Benítez. "The players played good football. Everybody was happy. I was really pleased with the fans getting behind the team, and the players played with more confidence. It was clear it was very positive." His point has been made, the message now demanding focus on the 10 league games that remain.
Privately he could not have been oblivious to the abuse that was flung his way. The bellowed command to "Stand up if you hate Rafa", or the reminders that "You're just an interim" flared whenever the game drifted. He was booed loudly when he picked up a ball that had dribbled over the touchline into his technical area and returned it to César Azpilicueta. Yet, even if he smarts at the indignity to which he is being subjected, the Spaniard might just grudgingly put up with those catcalls if his side impress. This was a third league win in seven matches, and was timely given that on Sunday the sides closest to his own collide at White Hart Lane. This weekend was an opportunity to make up some ground.
They could be grateful for West Brom's lack of ambition. If Chelsea had been vulnerable and there for the taking in the build-up, with John Terry again on the bench having featured in midweek, they could actually ease themselves into the fray as the visitors sat deep and rarely encroached themselves into enemy territory. This was an exercise in possession football for long periods, and it was only in the last 10 minutes that Steve Clarke's side really strived for a reward of their own. Peter Odemwingie, who came on just after the hour mark with the travelling support largely accepting of his involvement, forced Petr Cech to turn over a free-kick from distance. From the resultant corner, the goalkeeper reacted smartly to push away Azpilicueta's inadvertent flick. Yet those were still isolated ripostes amid Chelsea's composure on the ball. The scoreline hardly reflected the hosts' authority.
Their attacking trio of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and, in particular, Oscar dazzled in spells, the young Brazilian's touch a delight with this display maintaining his own impressive recent form. He might have scored in the opening attack, Ben Foster pushing away a shot from point-blank range with the goalkeeper later well positioned to gather Oscar's close-range header and crunched volley. Roy Hodgson was watching here and will have been warmed by Foster's display, the 29-year-old now available again for England and surely in contention for the squad to confront San Marino and Montenegro, to be announced on Thursday week. His shot-stopping caught the eye all afternoon. "He's probably made Roy happy, even if he's given him a nice problem to deal with," said Clarke.
Even so, he was partly at fault for the contest's only goal. Frank Lampard and Oscar exchanged passes at a corner just before the half-hour mark, the Brazilian swinging over a centre to the far post that Foster misjudged with David Luiz nodding back into the six-yard box. Demba Ba side-footed into the unguarded net to register a first goal since mid-January and Chelsea had their lead.
Space proved elusive thereafter, Olsson and Liam Ridgewell blocking shots smartly and Foster redeeming himself with a succession of fine saves. Perhaps a second goal would have served as a distraction for the crowd. Instead, the meandering and one-sided nature of so much of the game invited attention to refocus on the manager patrolling his technical area, the chants invariably starting up in the lower tier of the Matthew Harding stand and drifting round to be echoed in the Shed End.
Had West Brom equalised then it might have degenerated into the poisonous frenzy that had been anticipated, but the polite applause that greeted the final whistle rather summed up an odd occasion. "It's a good win," said Benítez. "We've still got 10 league games to play, a long race, and we're in a good position. We still feel we can do well."
Did he have a message for the fans who will travel to Steaua Bucharest for Thursday's Europa League last-16 tie? "That I enjoyed today's game," he said. Given what might have ensued, to see him depart the stadium with a smile was remarkable.

==================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 West Bromwich Albion 0
By Jason Burt, Stamford Bridge

This was tame rather than toxic; there was no Bridge of bile for Rafael Benítez. The protests were there but not everywhere. They were frequent but they were not sustained. Even some of the banners appeared half-hearted: “Divided we fall: Rafa out”, “The Interim One” and “Rafa Benitez: we’re just not that 'In-Ter-Im’”. Quite.
There were chants, of course, for Jose Mourinho, some choice words aimed at Benítez – who was booed when he touched the ball to retrieve it for a throw-in – but the 'interim manager’ has had far rougher rides than this in recent times. And far rougher rides on this touchline. An imploration to “stand up if you hate Rafa” fell largely on deaf ears.
It helped that West Bromwich Albion were equally tame – until they scented that an improbable draw could be gained in the final quarter after Chelsea spurned a host of chances that their fine inter-play had earned. Oscar was tricky and bright but profligate; Juan Mata sublime; Eden Hazard dangerous as the talented triumvirate pulled the strings behind Demba Ba, who scored the only goal and provided a much-needed cutting edge.
Nothing short of victory could have been contemplated and it lifted Chelsea back into third place. A draw or, perish the thought, defeat and Benítez may well have not lasted the weekend. But then he did not expect to take charge of this game after his outburst aimed at the fans – and the club, despite his subsequent attempts to deny otherwise – following the FA Cup win away to Middlesbrough on Wednesday.
Benítez had expected to be sacked at the training ground on Thursday and while his future at the club remains highly fluid – would he be able to survive a bad performance away to Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League on Thursday or a heavy FA Cup defeat to Manchester United next Sunday? – the intention right now, as of last night (although it is probably worth an hourly check), is to keep him in place until his contract expires at the end of the season. Probably.
Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, was not here but he will have been told about the performance and the lack of protests and having considered whether to pull the plug on Benítez, right now it appears the Russian billionaire will wait.
Maybe, most likely, it is simply the lack of a viable alternative for the rest of the season and there does not now appear to be much support to bring back Avram Grant, who has been under consideration and crossing his fingers.
Post-match and Benítez took the predictable but still curious approach of attempting to almost air-brush what he had said out of history.
Asked whether the Mourinho chants hurt – and there is no love lost between the pair – Benítez replied: “The main thing was they were behind the team. I was thinking about Demba Ba scoring the goal.”
Did Benítez regret what he said on Wednesday? “Where are we now?” he replied. “We are in a press conference after a game we’ve won with a lot of good football and confidence, let’s enjoy it.” And on it predictably went.
Of course, it helped his cause and his polite bullishness that Chelsea had won. Goodness knows what he could and would have said had that not been the case although there does also appear to be a gathering storm with John Terry once again confined to the sidelines despite being fully fit. That is one to watch.
The chanting started two minutes in but soon Chelsea were racking up chances: Oscar weakly steered Ba’s cross straight at Ben Foster, Mata volleyed across goal and Oscar headed straight at the West Brom goalkeeper before Ba struck. From a corner, Frank Lampard and Oscar exchanged passes and the latter crossed deeply for David Luiz to head back from the far post. Ba swept the ball home.
There was no reaction from Benítez but it brought home relief. There was a superb volley from Oscar, which was blocked, while Foster hacked away Ba’s improvised back-heel. Oscar then spurned another chance – this time his volley, from Ba’s header into his path, was well held by Foster as Hazard ran in. Soon after a low shot from Oscar was also held by Foster, who has declared his interest in returning to international football and will have impressed the watching England manager Roy Hodgson.
But then it was Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech who was being tested. “We stayed in the game until the last minute but we could not get the clear-cut chance,” lamented West Brom head coach Steve Clarke, who will have rued the absence of the ineligible loanee from Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku.
Having tipped over Steven Reid’s powerful first-half free-kick Cech was not called into action until he had to push over another free-kick, this time from substitute Peter Odemwingie. Then he did even better in beating the ball away from point-blank range after César Azpilicueta had inadvertently directed a corner at him. It would have been an own goal: and Chelsea have scored enough of those already of late. Did Benítez have a message for the fans? “I enjoyed today’s game,” he said.

=======================

Mail:

Chelsea 1 West Brom 0: Benitez smiles on as Ba boosts Blues against back drop of boos and banners
By Patrick Collins

After the traumas of the past week, the mood of Rafa Benitez was difficult to predict last night. Some looked for remorse and regret, others anticipated dignified defiance.
But nobody was prepared for the sight of Chelsea's interim manager tap-dancing through a stream of leading questions with a wide smile and a twinkle in his eye.

'I am really pleased with the way the fans got behind the team … the players are confident, they're playing very good football … the game was fantastic … everybody was happy … I'm trying to enjoy today.'
The more pointed the question, the more bland was his answer. I doubt that he knows too much about cricket, yet he has perfected the patient art of playing the ball back to the bowler.
So assured was his performance that we could almost persuade ourselves that we had not heard the chants which blared out inside the first four minutes: 'F*** off, Benitez. We'll sing what we want.'

And the drone of 'Jo -say! Jo -say!' the Shed's homage to the poseur over the water.
And since we never heard those insults, then we could not have seen the placards, few in number but crude in tone: 'Not Wanted, Never Wanted, RAFA Out' and 'The Interim One', along with the cliché of the mock-up P45.
Clumsy efforts all, apparently created by the same, unsteady hand.
Benitez treated them all with the same mocking disdain.
He had said his piece up at Middlesbrough, now he wanted to move on; whatever the fans or the media might feel. And nothing would deflect him from his strategy.
In truth, Rafa was almost the only person at Stamford Bridge who appeared fully immersed in the match. Chelsea were rather better than adequate.
Some of their approach play was swiftly resourceful, while talents such as Oscar and Juan Mata offered more than their share of beguiling moments.
When they performed at pace, particularly in the first half, it was easy to see what a formidable side they may become.
Albion, by contrast, were disappointing; a level or so below their real capabilities.
Had Ben Foster not delivered a master class in goal - offering a host of new reasons why the England manager, Roy Hodgson, will take renewed notice - then the beating might have been quite severe.

He announced himself after four minutes, when he responded with dramatic urgency to Oscar's firm touch on a cross; setting out his intentions in spectacular fashion.
Two minutes later, Steve Reid struck a violent free-kick and saw it tipped aside by Petr Cech, more evidence that goals might be hard to come by.

In 16 minutes, the home crowd launched into their own selfconscious tribute to the departed Roberto Di Matteo.
Benitez appeared not to notice, which must have been infuriating.
Chelsea had taken a degree of command with their thoughtful inventions, and in 27 minutes Foster was required to make another fine save when a Luiz freekick was deflected.

From the corner, Frank Lampard and Oscar swapped passes, Oscar lifted an incisive ball to the far post, from where the ebullient Luiz headed it back and Demba Ba bundled it in.
Briefly, Benitez was forgotten as the crowd celebrated the important break.
But normal service was depressingly resumed when he fielded a loose ball and the jeers erupted with bovine predictability.

Important blocks from Jonas Olsson and Liam Ridgewell prevented further misfortune for Albion, but the pattern had been set and already the match was Chelsea's to lose.
They might have had a penalty on the hour, when Olsson appeared to nudge Eden Hazard but the Chelsea man went down too readily and the claim was ignored.
The arrival of Peter Odemwingie - who is, in some curious fashion, a legend in West London - introduced more attacking possibilities for Albion. But his most hostile effort came in the form of a free-kick eight minutes from time, wonderfully saved by Cech.
All this time, Chelsea captain John Terry remained on the bench, utterly ignored by his manager.
He has apparently made his displeasure known a time or two, but Benitez remains impervious to his pressure.

Indeed, a cynic might suggest Rafa was making his point when he called Terry to warm up with three minutes remaining. And then decided against bringing him on.
Later, he was at pains to deny any disapproval of Terry, but his explanation lacked real conviction: 'Normally we have seven players on the bench. He was very much available, but you have to manage the team,' he smiled, like a man who did not expect to be believed.
Few and far between: West Brom had littel to shout about, though goalkeeper Ben Foster did try something special in the closing minutes, while Petr Cech was forced into one uncomfortable save in the first half

The chants he endured through to the end, but they too lacked conviction.
For, in the course of his brief tenure at Stamford Bridge, this was one of the better days that the Chelsea manager has known.
When it was over, one observer put it neatly into perspective: 'Interim, interim, they've all got it in fer 'im,' he remarked. It was an elegant line.
Had he heard it, Rafa Benitez would have smiled again.

=========

Mirror:
Chelsea 1-0 West Brom: Ba winner doesn't silence the boo boys on banner day at the Bridge
Matt Law

Rafa Benitez is determined not to go with a whimper.
As the Stamford Bridge faithful sang “Stand up if you hate Rafa”, Benitez rose from the home dugout.
He might be the interim and they might not be that into him, but Benitez seems intent on facing up to the hate mob for as long as he is still at Chelsea.
And a goal from Demba Ba at least ensured a chaotic week off the pitch ended with a second win on it.
It also meant Benitez did not become the third Chelsea boss in succession to be beaten by West Brom.
Andre Villas-Boas was sacked almost a year to the day after defeat at The Hawthorns and a 2-1 loss there proved to be Roberto Di Matteo’s final league game in charge.
It remains to be seen how long Benitez now lasts, but he is going to do things his way until the inevitable happens.
There was certainly no pandering to the fans in his team selection, as Benitez once again left captain John Terry on the bench.
The only thing Chelsea supporters probably agreed with Benitez over was his decision to also axe Fernando Torres and it paid dividends. Ba scored his first goal since January 16 and it was enough to help Chelsea climb back to third place in the Premier League – for 24 hours at least.
Despite the expected hostile reception for Benitez, Chelsea started brightly and squandered a wonderful fourth-minute chance.
Oscar pounced on a Ba cross from the right and Ben Foster produced a wonderful reflex save.
Goalkeeper Foster has made himself available for England again and was watched from the stands by Roy Hodgson and new FA director of elite development Dan Ashworth.
Brazilian Oscar was once again guilty of squandering a good opportunity when he headed straight at Foster from Juan Mata’s cross. And the former Manchester United keeper did brilliantly to keep out a David Luiz free-kick. But Chelsea managed to break the deadlock in the 28th minute with a goal that Foster could have prevented.
Oscar collected the ball from Frank Lampard and lofted a high cross over the head of Foster to the back post. Luiz headed the ball back across the six-yard box and Ba swept it into the net.
Chelsea were dominant in the first half and should have at least doubled their advantage. Mata fired wide and Oscar had a shot blocked by Jonas Olsson before Liam Ridgewell stopped Cesar Azpilicueta’s follow-up.
The Chelsea fans rotated anti-Benitez songs with pro-club chants and started singing for former boss Jose Mourinho in the second half.
West Brom’s travelling supporters at least proved they are willing to forgive and possibly forget, as they clapped Peter Odemwingie when he was sent on as a substitute.
Odemwingie, of course, had already familiarised himself with West London after driving to QPR in January, only to see a move to Chelsea’s neighbours fall through.
Before Odemwingie’s introduction, Chelsea had threatened to increase their lead and felt they should have been awarded a penalty on the hour.
Eden Hazard broke into the area and went down under Olsson’s challenge, but referee Kevin Friend ignored the home appeals and replays showed that he was correct.
Odemwingie, though, gave the Baggies a fresh impetus and the visitors almost snatched a draw with a free-kick that Petr Cech tipped over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Azpilicueta headed dangerously at his own goal but, again, Cech kept the ball out.
Unlike Benitez, former Chelsea defender and assistant manager Steve Clarke was cheered by the Blues fans.
“I’ve been back to Stamford Bridge numerous times and they’re always good to me,” said the Baggies boss.
“I’m always pleased they remember me. I was 12 years here as a player and eight as a coach.”


================

Sun:
Chelsea 1 West Brom 0

RAF JUSTICE ... Benitez picked up three points but had to endure more chants from the Chelsea faithful

By ROB BEASLEY

HATE Rafa. Love Chelsea. Boo Benitez. Back the Blues.

It was that sort of schizophrenic atmosphere at the Bridge of Troubled Waiters.

OK, it was not the venomous, bear pit that many had predicted.

But the Blues fans were still united in proclaiming their passion for their club loud and clear. And their disdain for the Interim One at every other opportunity.

Yes, there was more cheering than jeering. But there was no mistaking the intensity of feeling against the beleaguered Blues boss — dubbed a ‘fat Spanish waiter’.

“Divided we fall #Rafaout” read one banner. Another said “We’re just not inter im” — a dig at his midweek rant about his job title.

But the protests were understated rather than over the top. When the home side’s temporary manager walked out, he almost went unnoticed by supporters too busy chanting for Chelsea than bothering about the man they call ‘Beneathus’. In stark contrast, there was a huge cheer from all sides for West Brom boss Steve Clarke, 12 years a Chelsea player and Jose Mourinho’s right-hand man in the glory days.

Of course, the Special One’s name was sung — more than once — and there was no doubt who the fans want to replace the unwanted one in the summer.
But, for now, they are stuck with Benitez. And they cannot stand him.

“You’re not wanted here. . . Rafa Benitez, you’re not wanted here!” they cried.

“Stand up if you hate Rafa!” was next — and plenty did.

“You know what you are, you what you are. . . interim manager, you know what you are!”

Then a chorus of “We don’t care about Rafa, he don’t care about us!” And whenever reviled Rafa even moved he was on the receiving end.

The first time he walked out into the technical area the boos came in an instant. Once, when he tried — and failed — to catch the ball on the touchline, there were more jeers.

In the second half, when he did actually gather the ball, the fans even cut short their favourite “Jose Mourinho” song to boo him.

But to say it was a sustained targeting would be wrong. The anti-Benitez blasts were sandwiched between bellowed support for the team.

And the mood was further complicated as Chelsea actually started really well — despite Benitez’s claims that the dissent was affecting his players. As early as the fourth minute Demba Ba’s cross picked out Oscar in the box but his drilled, left-foot shot was beaten out by Ben Foster. The equally impressive Juan Mata then blazed a left-foot volley just past a post.

But it was not all one-way traffic as Petr Cech was forced to touch over a thunderous long-range free-kick from Steven Reid.

Oscar really should have scored with a close-range header after 16 minutes but was again denied by Foster.

That was the spark for a rendition of “One Di Matteo” in homage to Chelsea’s former interim manager — the one who won the Champions League and FA Cup with that job title and did not moan once!
Ba then fired a left-foot shot at Foster, who was being kept busy without being truly tested.

But the Albion keeper — watched by England boss Roy Hodgson after making a U-turn on his decision to quit Three Lions duty — was alert enough to make a fine reaction save as David Luiz’s deflected free-kick headed for the top corner.

However, the breakthrough was only seconds away as Frank Lampard’s 28th-minute corner fell to Oscar. He crossed to the far post where Luiz nodded it back across for Ba to convert his 17th of the season, his fourth for Chelsea.

The Bridge celebrated but not Benitez. He sat there emotionless, scribbling a few notes.

Chelsea were good value for their half-time lead but were nowhere near as fluent after the interval.

Lampard did have the ball in the net early on for what would have been his 200th Chelsea goal, but provider Mata was offside.

Ba was then crowded out as he tried to backheel a second. And on the hour, Hazard screamed for a penalty when he was bundled over by West Brom skipper Jonas Olsson. But referee Kevin Friend was right to ignore him.

Foster saved well from a rasping right-footer by Oscar, who then dribbled through to see a low shot pushed beyond the far post with 10 minutes to go.

West Brom decided to go for it, although Isaiah Brown — looking to become the Premier League’s youngest player at 16 years and 54 days — was left on the bench.

Cech had to arch back to turn over sub Peter Odemwingie’s fierce free-kick. He then beat out a point-blank header from home defender Cesar Azpilicueta.

The keeper smothered another Odemwingie effort at his near post before surviving one last, desperate attempt from the visitors as Foster went up for a corner.

And he almost got on the end of it in a huge goalmouth scramble that Chelsea were happy to clear and the fans happy to cheer.

They were still cheering at the final whistle as Benitez headed smartly down the tunnel after a result that means he has won half of his league matches in charge.

And Rafa, that is still nothing to cheer about.

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Hazard (Moses 80), Mata (Mikel 90), Oscar, Ba (Torres 87) Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand.
Booked: Hazard.
Goals: Ba 28.
West Brom: Foster, Reid, Olsson, McAuley, Ridgewell, Yacob (Rosenberg 82), Mulumbu, Morrison, Dorrans (Thomas 71), Fortune (Odemwingie 62), Long. Subs Not Used: Myhill, Jones, Tamas, Isaiah Brown.
Booked: McAuley, Odemwingie.
Att: 41,548
Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

===============

Express:

Chelsea 1 - West Brom 0: Demba Ba bails out Benitez
WHILE Rafa Benitez ran another gauntlet of hate his Chelsea players moved back into the top three. But only just – and possibly for a mere 24 hours.

By: Colin Mafham

Demba Ba's goal was the difference

The beleaguered ‘interim’ boss lives to fight another day at least, but his Stamford Bridge baiters don’t look like giving up.
They made that patently clear yesterday.
How his players keep their minds on the job in this sort of climate, goodness only knows. But they managed it OK in the end, thanks to a first half goal from Demba Ba that was probably worth less than they deserved overall.
Chelsea basically ran the show, but in the face of some dogged resistance from Ben Foster – whose form in goal for the Baggies has suggested he may be ready to end his self-imposed England exile – they had to hang on grimly at the end for three precious points.
Given the hateful circumstances it was quite civilised to start with. Just one clever fans’ sign proclaiming “We’re Just Not Interhim” (get it?) for Benitez to ponder over.
In fact, the face of Steve Clarke told more as he returned to the scene of his former glories with an expression that indicated that, despite a warm reception from his old fans, it wasn’t a particularly happy one – for more reasons than the obvious one.
But both of them looked on the black side on 16 minutes when that applause and chants of “there’s only one Di Matteo” continued for at least 60 seconds.
And later came cries for Jose Mourinho.
Spiteful, hurtful, call it what you like, but it hardly inspired the Chelsea players to loftier heights. Let alone the interim manager!
But at least the Chelsea clouds had a silver lining just before the half hour – for Benitez at any rate.
Rafa Benitez was pleased with what he saw

Chelsea basically ran the show, but in the face of some dogged resistance from Ben Foster
The Spaniard’s lone signing, Demba Ba, got the opening goal. But you have to take your hat off to David Luiz, who was the key figure in the build up before he headed Oscar’s centre into the path of the Senagalese striker.
Clarke, who served under Mourinho and Avram Grant as assistant manager, must have been reasonably happy as well with Albion goalkeeper Foster, who marked his public willingness to return to the international fold with a couple of super early saves from Oscar and Luiz.
Mind you, Frank Lampard beat him twice within the first five minutes of the second half. Fortunately for the Baggies both efforts were ruled offside.
It gave you a good idea of the way things were going to go, though. And that Benitez wasn’t the only potential target!
The Baggies contingent offered only a polite greeting when Peter Odemwingie came on as a 61st minute substitute, although it looks as if they might have forgiven for trying to push through that deadline day move to QPR.
But then the Harding Stand brigade started up again up with chants of “f*** o** Benitez, we’ll sing what we want.” Only they know what they thought that would achieve.
In the meantime, Foster continued to do enough to catch the eye of Roy Hodgson with another crucial save from Lampard.
But for him the scoreline might have been rather different.
As a sudden late assault from West Brom put the fear of God in Chelsea for a nervous last five minutes and Blues goalkeeper Petr Cech had more work to do than he had in the previous 85 minutes put together.


====================

Star:

CHELSEA 1 - WEST BROM 0: BENITEZ LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY AS DEMBA STRIKES
By Tony Stenson

NOW Rafa Benitez must wait to see if the West Brom curse is lifted.
The last two Chelsea bosses have been fired after losing to the Baggies.
At least the man who hates to be called interim manager can boast a win.
Chelsea fans know what they want. Him out.
They spewed anger yesterday with ‘f***off Benitez, we know what we want’ banners ensuring he lived to regret the timing of his outburst at the club’s board and supporters in midweek.
But when they also chanted ‘stand up if you hate Rafa’ a majority replied with ‘Chelsea, Chelsea’.
These are truly crazy times at a club that lives off crazy days.
Andre Villas-Boas was first to go after a game with Albion, followed by Roberto Di Matteo, despite winning the FA Cup and Champions League.
Benitez must wait to discover if a goal from Demba Ba has bucked the trend and delayed his execution.
But in all honesty, his rallying cry in the wake of his rant failed to generate a positive reaction from his team and Chelsea’s disgruntled supporters.
He left out his favourite Fernando Torres and was rewarded by Ba opening the scoring, although the Spanish striker replaced him later. There were few positives after that.
Albion attacked well without a decent striker while Chelsea went through the gears without finding overdrive.
Their best efforts were usually blocked by Ben Foster, the keeper who once turned his back on England but now says he wants a recall. On this showing he could get it.
For Chelsea, Oscar was good, while Juan Mata showed why he should be a leading candidate for player of the year.
Otherwise it was a slog against a side managed by another former Chelsea favourite, Steve Clarke.
Foster made a superb save in the fourth minute from Oscar from a Ramires cross and brilliantly kept out a free-kick by David Luiz in the 28th minute.
But Foster could only palm the effort for the corner that led to the winner.
Frank Lampard picked out Luiz who headed the ball on for Ba to slot home from six yards.
Benitez knows that he is a dead man walking but said: “I am am still smiling.
“We were in control for 75 minutes, their keeper was man of the match.”
He left out John Terry again and added: “We have seven players on the bench and John was one.
“The team is doing well, I will keep working very hard.
“I was really pleased with the performance on the pitch.
“I have a contract until the end of the season, that’s the end of it.
“Do I regret saying what I said? Let’s just enjoy the win.
“The fans today were behind the team, very positive, the atmosphere was really good.
“Today everybody was happy, the players were playing good football.
“We got three points to get us into a good position in the table.”
Clarke, who got a great reception from the home crowd, said: “We thought we’d prepared well enough to get a positive result but we went to sleep on a set-play.
“I appreciated the applause for me. Chelsea fans are always good to me when I come back here.”