London: Everton beat Chelsea 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup on Saturday, destroying the defending champions' hopes of an historic hat trick of titles in the famous competition.
After the fourth-round replay at Stamford Bridge finished 1-1 after extra time, England left back Ashley Cole skied his spot kick over the bar with the shootout at 3-3, giving Phil Neville the chance to put Everton through.
The former Manchester United defender found the corner of the net to set up a home match with second-tier side Reading in the fifth round on March 1.
Everton required a stunning 119th-minute free kick by Leighton Baines, who went on to miss in the shootout, to take the match to penalties. The left back's goal canceled out Frank Lampard's close-range effort in the 104th.
The latest defeat for Chelsea, which has won three of the last four FA Cups, piles the pressure on manager Carlo Ancelotti. His side has dropped to fifth place in the Premier League after an alarming dip in form and could now struggle to qualify for the Champions League.
Non-league side Crawley travels to Premier League leader Manchester United in the pick of the fifth-round matches later Saturday.
Everton was marginally better in a blood-and-thunder first half, although Chelsea came closer to scoring when Lampard's free kick was glanced by Everton defender Phil Jagielka onto his own post. With the goal gaping as the ball rebounded out, John Terry thumped his shot over the bar from six yards.
Tim Howard produced a good save to deny Lampard in the 64th and late drama saw Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini have a goal disallowed for offside in last minute.
The hosts exerted more of the pressure in extra time, with Lampard timing his run into the area to perfection and reacting to Didier Drogba's miscontrol from Nicolas Anelka's cross to drill home from 10 yards.
The game was sent to penalties, though, when Baines curled in a sublime free kick from 20 yards.
Baines was the first player to miss in the shootout as Chelsea took a 2-0 lead but Anelka had an effort saved and Cole shot over, allowing Neville to be the match-winner.
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