Chelsea defeat 10-man Derby 3-1 at the ipro Stadium on Tuesday to development to the last four of the Capital One Cup.
Eden Hazard benefitted from an oversight by Rams skipper Richard Keogh to coolly space the guests in front partly through a first half ruled by Jose Mourinho's men, before Filipe Luis multiplied the lead with a shocking free kick.
Craig Bryson pulled one over with a fine complete 20 minutes from time, before the hosts were decreased to 10 men as last man Jake Buxton was sent off for a foul on Loic Remy, and Andre Schurrle made them pay as he let go in a third to seal triumph.
There were two blows for the guests as Kurt Zouma was stretchered off in first-half stoppage time in the wake of being thumped oblivious as he went up for a cross with goalkeeper Petr Cech, before Didier Drogba limped off in the wake of slipping on the downpour hit surface.
Derby needed to adapt without Ryan Shotton after the safeguard was sent off in their Championship rout at Middlesbrough, so Buxton was presented as Will Hughes supplanted Jeff Hendrick in midfield.
It was a calm opening spell, just checked by Schurrle's initial booking for a foul on Johnny Russell, yet Chelsea commanded ownership without looking in a rush to score.
Yet the guests led the pack on 23 minutes after fabulous pressing constrained an error from captain Keogh, who surrendered ownership to Drogba. The striker discovered Fabregas who immediately discharged Hazard, and the Belgian worked some space flawlessly before discharging a low shot past the goalkeeper.
Luis tried Lee Grant minutes after the fact, terminating a stinging volley at the Derby goalkeeper after magnificent work by Fabregas in midfield.
Derby began the second half brilliantly, and Hughes about leveled things as he tried Cech with a low exertion after phenomenal work by Johnny Russell down the right-hand side.
At the same time Chelsea immediately added to their lead as Drogba was cut around Hughes in midfield, and Luis ventures up to discharge in a staggering 30-yard free kick, which rifled into the top corner and gave Grant no shot.
The hosts were then given a life saver as substitute Branislav Ivanovic doled the ball out and Bryson played an one-two with Russell before terminating a 20-yard exertion past Cech and in off the post.
It wasn't to be for Derby, however, as Buxton was sent off in strange circumstances. Gift slid out to detract the ball from Remy and looked to have taken care of fresh, yet in the wake of counseling with his colleague, ref Jon Moss gave the guard his walking requests for a tug on the striker.
Chelsea fixed the triumph not long after as Fabregas played in Remy, who drew a fine spare from Grant, however the goalkeeper could just repel it into the way of Schurrle and the German committed no error to flame the ball low into the net and affirm the guests' section into the last four.
Man of the match: Cesc Fabregas
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