Chelsea 4 Wycombe Wanderers 0

Last updated : 17 July 2007 By Paul Lagan
Andriy Shevchenko and Frank Lampard scored twice as Chelsea moved into the Carling Cup Final despite a below-par performance against League Two side Wycombe Wanderers.

However, it was enough to overcome a disciplined and well-organised Chairboys side that provided a stout rearguard but little by way of goalscoring chances.

Shevchenko should have put his recent nightmare behind him within 60 seconds of the kick-off when he latched onto a fine Ashley Cole left-wing cross.

He made space for himself between Wycombe centre-backs Will Antwi and Mike Williamson, but the £30million Ukraine hit-man headed horribly wide from six yards out.

Frank Lampard hit a trademark right-footer on nine minutes but the strike was well wide of Ricardo Batista's left upright. Wycombe, for their part, were happy to concede possession and get men behind the ball.

They did break through though when Scott Golbourne got the better of Blues full-back Lassana Diarra, but the Wycombe defender shot aimlessly wide.

Chelsea took a deserved lead on 22 minutes when Shevchenko took full advantage of a howler of a pass by Tommy Doherty, which went straight to him. He raced into the area, unmarked, and slotted home a cool right-footer past the prone Batista.

After good, sustained pressure from Wycombe, Tommy Mooney found himself in space in the Chelsea penalty area but the striker's difficult left-foot volley went wide.

Shevchenko made it 2-0 three minutes before half time when he arrived late in the area. He picked up an inch-perfect ball by Didier Drogba and tucked it over Batista's out-stretched hand and into the back of the net.

Petr Cech was forced to make his first save of the match on 62 minutes and did well to hold onto Stefan Oakes' 25-yard free-kick.

Batista was then equal to Drogba's rasping shot five minutes later following a quick counter-attack by Lampard.

Cech almost immediately produced a fine save from Russell Martin's fierce 25-yard free-kick but, 30 seconds later, Chelsea netted their third.

Lampard raced clear to collect Shevchenko's lofted pass before chipping the ball over the advancing Batista. He then beat substitute defender Sam Stockley and slotted a shot into the empty net from just inside the Wycombe penalty area.

Lampard tucked home his second and Chelsea's fourth in stoppage time with a neat left-footed drive from the six-yard line after Drobga had pulled the ball back to complete the comprehensive 4-0 victory on the night and 5-1 aggregate success.