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Barnsley 1 Chelsea 0: Odejayi stuns Chelsea
THEY will never forget the name Kayode Odejayi in Barnsley after this.
With one flick of his head, the striker has secured a place in the town's folklore.
The noise that erupted when the ball bounced off his head and into the Chelsea net brought back memories of last month's earthquake.
His goal not only booked Barnsley a place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since winning the competition back in 1912, it also guaranteed a trip to Wembley. And it condemned one of the richest clubs in the world, FA Cup holders Chelsea, to one of the biggest acts of giant-killing.
Odejayi is an unlikely hero. Axed by manager Simon Davey after a goal drought stretching 29 games, the big Nigerian could hardly have been described as a crowd favourite before Saturday.
But after being restored to the side for the midweek trip to Blackpool, Odejayi kept his place against Chelsea and proved his doubters wrong with a performance that left even England captain John Terry struggling to cope.
Those appealing for a miracle saw their prayers answered, including Odejayi who is a devout Christian.
"I say my prayers every morning and every night and I say a prayer before going out onto the pitch. It worked wonders today," he said.
Odejayi's father missed his son's finest hour due to a commitment to visit Nigeria in his role as as a Christian minister.
But the striker hopes his goal can win over those supporters who have questioned his ability since his summer arrival from Cheltenham.
"There is nothing worse than being booed by your own fans," he said. "I think I am big enough and professional enough to handle it and the fans are entitled to their opinions, but hopefully this performance will go a long way to winning them over."
When things were tough earlier in the season, Odejayi at least had the ideal relative to turn to for advice.
His cousin, former Sheffield United striker Ade Akinbiyi, has spent a career being criticised over things he cannot do yet still gets praise from nearly every manager he plays under for things he can do for the team.
"We do keep in touch," he said. "Ade has spoken to me about keeping belief in your own ability. He is a very strong character and he told me that you cannot let criticism get to you. That's what I have tried to do and hopefully I have repaid the faith shown in me by my manager."
The key to Barnsley's victory was simple. They refused to allow Chelsea time on the ball and every single player worked his socks off.
Chelsea had made five changes to the side which reached the Champions League quarter-finals in midweek, but manager Avram Grant insisted that Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba – if not Ashley Cole, Claude Makelele and Paolo Ferriera – were unavailable due to injury.
Grant could still replace expensive internationals with expensive internationals yet any class divide between the two sides was rarely evident.
Barnsley created the better chances and, apart from a late bombardment, restricted Chelsea to only a handful of opportunities.
Every Barnsley defender put his body on the line at some stage in the game to block goalbound shots. Chelsea manager Grant complained that the pitch was not suited to his side's style of play, but they showed an alarming lack of creativity for such a revered unit and seemed unsettled by Odejayi's presence in Barnsley's attack. Odejayi was unlucky not to score in the first half when he charged in to tackle goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini and the ball rolled wide. He also forced the Chelsea goalkeeper into a good near-post save after surging past Ricardo Carvalho.
But the striker made no mistake when heading in the winner shortly after the hour mark.
A great run off the ball by Marciano van Homoet allowed winger Martin Devaney space to supply a cross of similar quality to the one that brought a goal against Liverpool at Anfield, and Odejayi beat Cudicini in the air at the back post to head home from six yards.
Oakwell erupted and, as the final minutes ticked by, Barnsley fans again invaded the pitch to celebrate.
Chelsea pressed hard for a last-gasp equaliser, but it was simply not to be their day.
Few dared imagine that Barnsley might eclipse the achievement of beating Liverpool at Anfield in the fifth round.
But victory over Chelsea at home in the quarter-final is even more of a story. Barnsley are off to Wembley and who knows, with the biggest clubs gone, maybe they can even win the
FA Cup.
PLAYER FOCUS
BARNSLEY
Steele 7
Kozluk 7
Foster 7
Souza 7
Van Homoet 7
Devaney *7
Howard 7
Hassell 7
Campbell-Ryce 7
Ferenczi 6
Odejayi **8
Substitutes
Togwell *6
Coulson **6
Not used
Nardiello
Butterfield
Leon
CHELSEA
Cudicini 6
Belletti **6
Carvalho 6
Terry 6
Bridge 7
Wright-Phillips 7
Ballack 6
Essien 6
Joe Cole 6
Malouda *6
Anelka 6
Substitutes
Kalou *6
Pizarro **6
Not used
Hilario
Obi
Ben Haim
MATCH FOCUS
HERO
Kayode Odejayi: The striker's winning goal will go down in Barnsley's history and make the bustling centre forward an Oakwell hero.
VILLAIN
The idiots who invaded the pitch before the final whistle. Emotions were high, but things could have got nasty.
KEY MOMENT
66th minute: Odejayi rises above Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini in the air to head home Martin Devaney's far-post cross.
REF WATCH
Steve Bennett: Faultless display by one of the Premier League's top officials.
ENTERTAINMENT
In terms of the magic of the FA Cup, it doesn't get any better than this. Apart from a trip to Wembley next month...
VERDICT
Barnsley pull off one of biggest FA Cup shocks and deserved to beat the richest club in the country. Now they're off to Wembley.
NEXT MATCH
Ipswich Town, tomorrow, 7.45pm, Oakwell, Coca-Cola Championship.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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