The FA Cup
ChelseaChelsea2BradfordBradford City4

Chelsea 2-4 Bradford City

By Michael EmonsBBC Sport
  • Chelsea go two goals in front, but are then beaten
  • Bradford are 49 places below Jose Mourinho's side
  • Bantams into fifth round of FA Cup for first time in 18 years
  • Defeat ends Chelsea's hopes of quadruple

League One side Bradford City produced an amazing comeback from 2-0 down to beat Premier League leaders Chelsea in a thrilling FA Cup fourth-round tie.

Gary Cahill flicked Oscar's left-wing corner in to put the Blues ahead, before Ramires doubled their lead after a one-two with team-mate Mohamed Salah.

Bradford's Jon Stead pulled one back with a powerful 18-yard shot and Filipe Morais side-footed in an equaliser.

Mourinho calls cup exit 'a disgrace'

Andy Halliday blasted the Bantams ahead with Mark Yeates slotting in a fourth.

The game looked finished when Ramires made it 2-0 after 38 minutes, before Phil Parkinson's side secured one of the most memorable victories in their history.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had said it "would be a disgrace" if they lost the game and, despite making nine changes to his starting line-up, still fielded a strong side.

They had won all 10 of their Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge this season and had been pushing for an unprecedented quadruple in English football - the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.

However, their defeat added to an incredible fourth round of the FA Cup that has also seen Manchester United draw 0-0 at League Two side Cambridge United and Manchester City lose 2-0 at home to Championship club Middlesbrough.

Feeling the Blues
Chelsea's defeat means they have failed to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in 17 seasons.

But take nothing away from Parkinson's team, who are ranked 49 places below their opponents. They showed great character and resilience to not only fight back from 2-0 down, but also to look good value for their lead.

Cheered on by 6,000 away fans who created a fantastic atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge, the Bantams chased for every ball, battled hard and also had the same number of shots on target as their opponents.

Beating Chelsea surreal - Parkinson

Stead's stunning 41st-minute strike gave them a way back into the game, before Morais, who began his career at Chelsea, netted a second after James Meredith's long throw-in.

With one eye on Tuesday's League Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool, Mourinho had rotated his side but that decision backfired.

He brought on Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard as they tried to get back into the game, but Halliday blasted the visitors 3-2 ahead.

The Blues had chances to equalise but Didier Drogba headed over and Kurt Zouma also wasted a close-range opportunity.

Then, in the 90th minute, Yeates collected Stead's back-heel to score Bradford's fourth as they moved into the fifth round of the competition for the first time in 18 years and clinched their place in FA Cup folklore.

Gary Cahill
Gary Cahill's 21st-minute goal was his second of the season for Chelsea
Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba scored in Chelsea's 2007 FA Cup final win, Jose Mourinho's last trophy in English football
Jon Stead
Jon Stead, who scored for Bradford, has played for 10 different teams during his career
Ramires
Chelsea have now scored at least twice in 10 of their last 12 matches
Filipe Morais of Bradford City
Filipe Morais began his career at Chelsea but never played a senior game for their first team
Bradford City
Bradford City beat three Premier League teams on their way to the League Cup final in 2012-13

Line-ups

Chelsea

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Cech
  • 31Christensen
  • 5Zouma
  • 24Cahill
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 7Santos do Nascimento
  • 8Oscar
  • 12MikelSubstituted forFàbregasat 70'minutes
  • 17SalahSubstituted forWillianat 70'minutes
  • 11Drogba
  • 18RemySubstituted forE Hazardat 76'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Fàbregas
  • 6Aké
  • 10E Hazard
  • 13Courtois
  • 22Willian
  • 26Terry
  • 36Loftus-Cheek

Bradford

Formation 4-4-2

  • 12Williams
  • 2DarbyBooked at 90mins
  • 23McArdleBooked at 23mins
  • 5Davies
  • 3Meredith
  • 11KnottSubstituted forYeatesat 80'minutes
  • 8LiddleBooked at 45mins
  • 20MoraisSubstituted forClarkeat 89'minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 25HallidayBooked at 82minsSubstituted forRoutisat 87'minutes
  • 9Hanson
  • 16Stead

Substitutes

  • 6Sheehan
  • 10Clarke
  • 13Zoko
  • 14Yeates
  • 17Kennedy
  • 18Routis
  • 22Urwin
Referee:
Andre Marriner
Attendance:
41,014

Match Stats

Home TeamChelseaAway TeamBradford
Possession
Home59%
Away41%
Shots
Home15
Away9
Shots on Target
Home6
Away7
Corners
Home9
Away8
Fouls
Home15
Away10

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Chelsea 2, Bradford City 4.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Bradford City 4.

  3. Post update

    Rory McArdle (Bradford City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Gary Cahill (Chelsea).

  5. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  6. Post update

    Delay in match Kurt Zouma (Chelsea) because of an injury.

  7. Post update

    Stephen Darby (Bradford City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Eden Hazard (Chelsea).

  9. Goal!

    Goal! Chelsea 2, Bradford City 4. Mark Yeates (Bradford City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jon Stead.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Billy Clarke (Bradford City).

  11. Post update

    César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  12. Post update

    Attempt missed. Willian (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  13. Booking

    Stephen Darby (Bradford City) is shown the yellow card.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Stephen Darby (Bradford City).

  15. Post update

    Eden Hazard (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  16. Substitution

    Substitution, Bradford City. Billy Clarke replaces Filipe Morais because of an injury.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Bradford City. Christopher Routis replaces Andy Halliday.

  18. Post update

    Attempt missed. Kurt Zouma (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

  19. Post update

    Mark Yeates (Bradford City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Oscar (Chelsea).