Chelsea 4-1 Cardiff

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Didier Drogba inspired Chelsea to a comfortable victory over Cardiff City.

The Ivorian striker scored his 23rd goal of the season with just two minutes on the clock to give Chelsea a deserved early lead. But there were elements of complacency in Chelsea's play throughout the first half, and it came as little surprise when the tenacity of the visiting side was rewarded when Michael Chopra headed past Henrique Hilario.

But Drogba was the source of all of Chelsea's creativity, and he played an exquisite ball to Michael Ballack, who fired Chelsea back into the lead. And there was no mistake from Daniel Sturridge as he hammered home his fourth goal in the FA Cup this season.

Substitute Salomon Kalou capped off a hugely satisfying performance for Carlo Ancelotti's side with a fine header which sees Chelsea unbeaten at Stamford Bridge for 37 matches.

And a comfortable victory for Chelsea ensures that a third home tie of the competition will see the Blues face either Stoke City or Manchester City in the quarter-finals, with a replay between the two sides to follow.

The Chelsea manager made a number of changes to the side that went down 2-1 at Goodison Park to Everton thanks to Louis Saha's brace, with only Drogba, John Mikel Obi, Frank Lampard, Ricardo Carvalho and Yuri Zhirkov retaining their places after a dismal team showing on Merseyside.

But thoughts of Wednesday were quickly forgotten as Chelsea raced into an early lead. Mikel capitalised on some lacklustre defending by the visitors, freeing Drogba who had a clear route to goal. The Chelsea striker's touch did not let him down as he lashed beyond David Marshall for his fourth goal in as many games since returning from Angola.

Daniel Sturridge celebrates his fourth of the season with Drogba.

An early goal was exactly what Ancelotti would have hoped for, but Dave Jones' side rallied and replied in kind. Gabor Gyepes wasted a presentable chance, before Anthony Gerrard, cousin of Liverpool skipper Steven - produced a sensational save from Hilario to preserve Chelsea's lead.

But the Blues' defensive lapses were evident once more when Chopra stole home to score his 17th of a productive season for the former Sunderland forward. There was an inquest between goalkeeper and defence following the goal; centre backs Carvalho and Alex were certainly at fault.

Needless to say, Chelsea's second half performance was much more authoritative, and Michael Ballack notched home a fine goal to cap off a flowing Chelsea move. It was started and ended by the German, who latched on to Drogba's magnificent chip over the defence, and Ballack nonchalantly lifted the ball into the net over the keeper.

Mark Kennedy's last-ditch block prevented Alex from making amends as he denied the Brazilian a first goal of the season, whilst Drogba and Zhirkov were off-target from long range. Sturridge - anonymous for much of the first half - was becoming much more involved, and he shot just wide of the post from thirty yards.

And Sturridge's growing influence on the game was underlined when he made the most of a loose ball to slide home underneath Marshall for his fourth goal of the season. The young England striker had combined well with Drogba, and it was a deserved goal from Chelsea's number 23.

Cardiff's misery was made complete on 86 minutes when Kalou - something of a cup goalscoring specialist - superbly headed home Paulo Ferreira's cross. Kalou has found the net in the Champions League and both domestic cup competitions this season, and his strike was his first goal for the club since December, against Blackburn.

A third FA Cup in four seasons looks ever-likely for Chelsea - their ruthless efficiency in this competition means they are now seven years unbeaten at home and nine matches without loss in the competition. Bring on City - Stoke or Manchester.

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Chelsea: Hilario; Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, Zhirkov; Ballack, Mikel, Lampard ©; J Cole (Kalou), Sturridge (Malouda); Drogba (Borini)

Cardiff(4-4-2): Marshall; McNaughton, Gerrard, Gyepes, Kennedy; Burke (McCormack), Rae (Blake), Wilding (Taiwo), Whittingham; Chopra, Bothroyd ©

The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Chelsea's number 11 - Didier Drogba