While it was rather late in theday for Chelsea to finally stake a claim to the match, it was wellworth the delay and, it was well past 5.30pm today when finally this FA Cupsemi-final burst into life. Before then, Roberto Mancini's staff had done just about everything aside from rating the goals their dominance of the fit guaranteed. With just more than 25 minutes outstanding, the score at 2-1 and the pitch draining the life out from the legs of two tired clubs it eventually became either way that might be gone by a Cup tie. As Chelsea put themselves at their resistance with the sort of strength they had failed to muster for the past time, they might well have obtained the equaliser. Some old animosities rose to the outer lining, perhaps not least when Sergio Aguero lunged two-footed at David Luiz. Retribution was exacted by fernando Torres on Aguero. Like something was at stake suddenly it felt. It had been surely preferable to the prior day's activity when Millwall fans old enough to learn better were trading blows with one another and fighting with police. If ever the Football Association needed a great game to divert attention from Saturday's debacle then it had been yesterday and, in the end, they got the full quota of pleasure, debatable refereeing activities and aggrieved losers. Rafael Benitez said the referee, Chris Foy, had got it wrong when it found Vincent Kompany's whip on the clothing of Torres on 87 minutes, a "clear penalty" according to the interim first-team coach and perhaps a red card also. He was less concerned about the altogether more magnificent press by Aguero on Luiz on his opposition that used a youthful elbow by the Chelsea defense. Overrun in the initial half it took much too miss Chelsea to spark. They sooner or later won within seconds of Torres coming on as substitute when he and Demba Ba chased a long ball from Luiz and the Senegalese striker improvised wonderfully to volley past Costel Pantilimon. From then on, influenced largely by Eden Hazard, they might have scored the equaliser as City fell back to their own half and invited the pressure. It'd been a completely different story in the initial half when it felt like Chelsea had quit the ghost and City's one regret was they came in at half-time just a goal ahead. Benitez's side had eight changes from the defeat to Rubin Kazan in Moscow on Thursday but was similar to the team that beat Sunderland per week earlier. The sheer originality of the Europa League compared with Chelsea's general familiarity with the FA Cup a' they have won it four times in the last six years a' means while recently was a hit, of the two glass contests it's probably the less important of the two. Benitez's stated aim in recent months, with the resources at his disposal, has been a top-three finish and one of two awards a' that is still achievable. In lots of respects this sport reflected why both City and Chelsea, with their well-resourced squads and experienced administrators, have already been not able to challenge Manchester United consistently over the span of the season. Sometimes both were capable of thrilling basketball, specifically City, it should be said. If they thought the tide turn against them but both also seemed notably vulnerable. The very first goal came on 35 minutes, from Samir Nasri but it needs to have been a whole lot earlier. The Frenchman traded travels with Aguero and when the ball went back to him it fell please from Cesar Azpilicueta's problem for him to shoot past Petr Cech. At that point Kompany have been obliged to clear Hazard's high-bouncing volley off the line but little else. Town needs to have had another before half-time when the ball dropped to Aguero and then James Milner in the region. Then two minutes to the new half the Argentine striker went the ball superbly back over Cech from Gareth Barry's combination. Yaya TourA was prominent in midfield at that level. It appeared as if an incident of how many objectives City would score. The goal from Ba changed the mood entirely. Right after, Hazard cut the ball back once again to Ba and he had his chance saved by Pantilimon, Mancini's goalkeeper of preference to date in the FA Cup. The City boss wouldn't be drawn on whether Pantilimon would start in front of Joe Hart at Wembley against Wigan in the final on 11 May possibly a' "we have one month to determine that" a' but it certainly would appear that way. Feeling threat, Mancini brought off Carlos Tevez, pushed TourA up in to the position behind Aguero and brought on Javi Garcia to shore up the centre of midfield. Ultimately it worked however, not before City seemed to acknowledge the energy to their opponents. TourA, getting forward on 80 minutes must have passed to Pablo Zabaleta, in an improved place to report. Aguero's lunge at Luiz was a offence if the umpire had a suitable view of it but, as ever, it is impossible to function as subject of further action. Foy will certainly say that he found the incident, but not its full severity, which will preclude any FA activity. The usual line will happen for a few days and then football will, as ever, move on. Even in those final moments of the game, Benitez resisted any temptation he might have experienced to create on Frank Lampard. David Terry also spent the morning watching from the counter. The pair have, of course, had to get familiar with their new position throughout the last few months but, nevertheless, these are times of change. These two are Wembley and FA Cup stalwarts; indeed Terry is the veteran of five Chelsea FA Cup triumphs going back 13 years. However the group is changing and Benitez is planning based on the rigorous demands that they have encountered. Now out the FA Cup, their likely week from hell of four games in eight times between 5 May and 12 May only has three games. There's virtually no time to sleep with Fulham awaiting at Craven Cottage on Wednesday and the opportunity to retrieve third devote the Premier League from Arsenal. In terms of City, their time keeps out the chance of a prize against Wigan in 26 days time. They have eventually reach some form and, it's better late than never, while too late to recover the category.
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