Football: Soccer-Lukaku seals FA Cup win on seismic day for Chelsea

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LUTON, England (Reuters) – On a seismic day within the historical past of Chelsea Football Club it was maybe becoming that Romelu Lukaku, their document signing, scored the successful aim in a 3-2 FA Cup fifth-round victory at second-tier Luton Town on Wednesday.

For most of a humid night at Kenilworth Road it appeared the European and world champions have been going to undergo a humiliating exit, hours after Russian businessman Roman Abramovich introduced he was placing the membership up for sale.

But Lukaku, the epitome of Chelsea’s spending energy within the 19 years of Abramovich possession, slid in to transform Timo Werner’s low cross within the 78th minute.

News of Abramovich’s choice, amid rising calls for him to be hit by sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, had the packed crowd abuzz earlier than kickoff.

The Chelsea followers chanting his identify have been silenced after two minutes when Luton defender Reece Burke planted a textbook glancing header into the nook from a nook.

Saul Niguez levelled after 27 minutes however an intrepid Luton aspect restored their lead earlier than halftime as Harry Cornick beat Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Luton appeared able to holding on for a giant-killing however Werner equalised within the 67th minute after being picked out by a lofted move from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Chelsea dominated the second half and Lukaku, out of favour of late regardless of his close to 100 million-pound ($134 million) price ticket, had the ultimate say because the London aspect moved into the quarter-finals.

($1 = 0.7461 kilos)

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, enhancing by Ed Osmond)



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