FA Cup full of upsets

gustedeLONDON. — Often derided and disrespected during the Premier League era, the FA Cup added another incredible chapter to its proud heritage on Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester City were humbled by supposed inferiors.

A day after Manchester United suffered a fright in a 0-0 fourth-round draw to fourth tier Cambridge United, Premier League leaders Chelsea surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at home to third tier Bradford City.

If that was not a seismic enough shock, a couple of hundred miles north, Premier League champions City were torn apart by second tier promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough, crashing 2-0 at a stunned Etihad.

Chelsea were unbeaten in all competitions at home this season. They boast a 100 percent record in the league at Stamford Bridge and appeared on course for a routine win after 38 minutes with goals from Gary Cahill and Ramires.

Bradford, 49 places lower than Chelsea and with a squad made up of journeymen and bargain signings, had other ideas.

They gained a foothold when Jon Stead fired a beauty past Petr Cech before half-time.

A bemused Jose Mourinho described Chelsea’s performance as unacceptable and a disgrace after the Premier League leaders slumped to a 4-2 home defeat against third-tier Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.

It was an old-fashioned Cup tie, full of noise, tension, rip-roaring goals and a thrilling come-back victory for the brave underdogs on a chilly afternoon in west London.

Mourinho, twice a Champions League winner, who has led teams to titles in his native Portugal, Italy and Spain as well as at Chelsea, said the defeat was one of the worst of his career.

“I feel ashamed and I feel the players should feel the same as I feel,” he told reporters.

It was the first time a Mourinho Chelsea side had lost to lower league opposition during his two spells in England.

“It’s a disgrace — a sporting disgrace obviously but still a disgrace.” The Chelsea manager said team rotation, after he rested several players, could not be used as an excuse for the rout.

“This happens to every team from time to time, but for me it’s the first time — it’s unacceptable to lose against a team form a lower league.”

Chelsea last lost to lower league opposition in 2008 under Avram Grant when they were beaten by Barnsley — who are also from Yorkshire.

“We are not speaking about a team of kids so I think the selection was more than good enough and obviously the word disgrace is the right word,” Mourinho said.

He added that not one of the Bradford players “with respect” would make it into a Chelsea side.

The hosts looked to be coasting after goals from England centre back Gary Cahill and Brazil midfielder Ramires.

But a thundering strike from Jon Stead just before half-time rocked Mourinho’s side and when former Chelsea man Filipe Morais equalised in the 75th minute, the League One visitors were brimming with new-found confidence.

Manchester City only arrived back from a warm-weather training camp in Abu Dhabi the evening before taking on Middlesbrough and looked groggy against fluent opponents who struck after half-time through Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford and Spaniard Kike.

Bamford bundled in the opener after sloppy defending and, after Boro wasted several clear chances and Frank Lamaprd hit the post for City, Kike beat keeper Willy Caballero with a neat finish after a counter-attack.

City’s second home defeat in a week after losing to Arsenal last Sunday has derailed their season.

“We had six or seven clear chances to score. We played well in the first-half,” said City boss Manuel Pellegrini.

“After they scored we were disordered, they had a counter attack and they scored again late on.” The surprises, that begun earlier in the day when top flight Swansea City lost 3-1 at second tier Blackburn Rovers and had two players sent off, continued when Southampton went down 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace, meaning the top three in the Premier League all crashed out on a remarkable FA Cup afternoon.

Jeffrey Schlupp’s stoppage-time volley gave Premier League bottom club Leicester City a surprise 2-1 victory at League Cup semifinalists Tottenham Hotspur. — SuperSport

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