Chelsea ousted from FA Cup by Newcastle
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-02-21 09:45

Chelsea's quest to win four major titles ended Sunday when Newcastle ousted the Blues from the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory at St. James' Park.

Newcastle's Patrick Kluivert (C) celebrates after scoring the only goal during today's FA Cup clash against Chelsea at St James' Park Newcastle. Newcastle beat Chelsea 1-0. [AFP]

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho gambled, sitting seven regulars to start the match, and came up short in the fifth-round game. He was hoping to save them for Wednesday's high-profile Champions League game at Barcelona. Instead, Mourinho lost for just the third time since taking over the club last summer.

"We got a great result today against an excellent team," Newcastle manager Graeme Souness said.

Chelsea's strategy went wrong in the fourth minute when Patrick Kluivert gave the Magpies a quick lead, heading in a cross from 8 yards to the right of diving goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.

Mourinho had been dubbed the "Portuguese Man of Four." Now, the best he can do is win three trophies.

Chelsea leads the Premier League by nine points, goes in as a slight favorite against Barcelona, and plays next weekend in the League Cup final against Liverpool.

With centerback John Terry suspended, Mourinho rested starters Petr Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Damien Duff.

Bowing to the tradition of the FA Cup, Mourinho put Lampard, Duff and Gudjohnsen on to start the second half — using all his substitutions trying to salvage the game.

That move went wrong when winger Wayne Bridge was taken off with an ankle injury just two minutes into the half, forcing Chelsea to play with 10 men. Three minutes into second-half injury time, 'keeper Cudicini was sent off on a red card. By the end of the match, Duff was also limping.

Mateja Kezman had Chelsea's best chance to score in the 24th, banging a shot off the upright.

"Sometimes, you're proud of your team when they win and sometimes you're proud of your team even when they lose and I was proud of them today," Mourinho added.

Chelsea lost to Manchester City 1-0 in league play, and fell to FC Porto 2-1 in the Champions League.

In Sunday's other games, Burnley and Blackburn tied 0-0 and Tottenham and Nottingham Forest tied 1-1. Both games will be replayed.

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