1998 Football League Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1998 Coca-Cola Cup Final was a football
match played between Chelsea
and Middlesbrough
on 29 March 1998 at Wembley Stadium. Chelsea, under new manager Gianluca Vialli
, won with two extra time goals and would go on to win the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
later that season. Middlesbrough's second consecutive defeat in the final was followed by promotion back to the Premier League after just one season.
Both teams were restricted to shots from distance. This all changed in extra time when Chelsea took control. Frank Sinclair
, a villain in the 1994 FA Cup Final defeat when conceding a penalty and slipping to allow Mark Hughes to score, became the hero in this match. He started the move that ended with his header finding the corner of the Middlesbrough net to open the scoring. Chelsea's second goal came from Roberto Di Matteo
. A corner played into the near post was not cleared by the Boro defence and Di Matteo was able to side foot the ball into the net on the half-volley. Di Matteo had come back to haunt Middlesbrough as he had scored the opening goal when the same sides met in the 1997 FA Cup Final the previous season. Once again Chelsea had won 2-0.
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MIDDLESBROUGH:
|
GK
1
Mark Schwarzer
RB
2
Gianluca Festa
CB
5
Nigel Pearson
CB
4
Steve Vickers
LB
3
Vladimír Kinder
RM
10
Paul Merson
CM
6
Robbie Mustoe
CM
7
Neil Maddison
LM
11
Andy Townsend
CF
8
Hamilton Ricard
CF
9
Marco Branca
Substitutes:
DF
12
Curtis Fleming
CF
13
Mikkel Beck
MF
14
Paul Gascoigne
Manager:
Bryan Robson
Round 3: Chelsea 1–1 Blackburn Rovers
Round 4: Chelsea 2–1 Southampton
Quarter-final: Ipswich Town
2–2 Chelsea
Semi-final, 1st leg: Arsenal
2–1 Chelsea
Semi-final, 2nd leg: Chelsea 3–1 Arsenal
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Round 2, 2nd leg: Barnet 0–2 Middlesbrough
Round 3: Middlesbrough 2–0 Sunderland
Round 4: Middlesbrough 1–1 Bolton Wanderers
Quarter-final: Reading
0–1 Middlesbrough
Semi-final, 1st leg: Liverpool
2–1 Middlesbrough
Semi-final, 2nd leg: Middlesbrough 2–0 Liverpool
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Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
match played between Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 29 March 1998 at Wembley Stadium. Chelsea, under new manager Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
, won with two extra time goals and would go on to win the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
later that season. Middlesbrough's second consecutive defeat in the final was followed by promotion back to the Premier League after just one season.
Both teams were restricted to shots from distance. This all changed in extra time when Chelsea took control. Frank Sinclair
Frank Sinclair
Frank Mohammed Sinclair is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Hendon in the Isthmian League Premier Division.-Chelsea:...
, a villain in the 1994 FA Cup Final defeat when conceding a penalty and slipping to allow Mark Hughes to score, became the hero in this match. He started the move that ended with his header finding the corner of the Middlesbrough net to open the scoring. Chelsea's second goal came from Roberto Di Matteo
Roberto Di Matteo
Roberto Di Matteo is a Swiss-born Italian former professional footballer and the current assistant manager of Chelsea. As a midfielder, he enjoyed spells at Schaffhausen, Zürich Aarau, Lazio, and Chelsea. He was capped by Italy 34 times, scoring two goals for the Italian national team, and played...
. A corner played into the near post was not cleared by the Boro defence and Di Matteo was able to side foot the ball into the net on the half-volley. Di Matteo had come back to haunt Middlesbrough as he had scored the opening goal when the same sides met in the 1997 FA Cup Final the previous season. Once again Chelsea had won 2-0.
Match facts
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | CHELSEA : | |||
| GK | 1 |  Ed de Goey |
||
| RWB | 2 |  Dan PetrescuDan Petrescu Daniel Vasile Petrescu is a Romanian football manager and former player, currently the manager of Kuban Krasnodar in the Russian Premier League.... |
||
| CB | 5 |  Frank LeboeufFrank Leboeuf Franck Alain James Leboeuf or Lebœuf is a former French international footballer who played as a defender... |
||
| CB | 12 | Michael Duberry Michael Duberry Michael Wayne Duberry is an English footballer who plays for League Two club Oxford United. He started his career with Premier League side Chelsea and also played for Leeds United, Reading, Stoke City, Bournemouth and St... |
||
| CB | 20 |  Frank SinclairFrank Sinclair Frank Mohammed Sinclair is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Hendon in the Isthmian League Premier Division.-Chelsea:... |
||
| LWB | 14 | Graeme Le Saux Graeme Le Saux Graeme Pierre Le Saux is a retired English footballer of French ancestry who played for the Premier League clubs Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, and for the England national football team. Primarily a left back, he was sometimes also played in midfield or on the left wing.After... |
||
| CM | 16 | Roberto Di Matteo Roberto Di Matteo Roberto Di Matteo is a Swiss-born Italian former professional footballer and the current assistant manager of Chelsea. As a midfielder, he enjoyed spells at Schaffhausen, Zürich Aarau, Lazio, and Chelsea. He was capped by Italy 34 times, scoring two goals for the Italian national team, and played... |
||
| CM | 11 | Dennis Wise Dennis Wise Dennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United.... |
||
| CM | 24 | Eddie Newton Eddie Newton Edward John Ikem 'Eddie' Newton is a former English footballer who played most notably for Chelsea as a defensive midfielder... |
||
| CF | 25 | Gianfranco Zola Gianfranco Zola Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi... |
||
| CF | 10 |  Mark HughesMark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals.... |
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| Substitutes: | ||||
| GK | 13 | Kevin Hitchcock Kevin Hitchcock Kevin Hitchcock is an English former football goalkeeper who made nearly 300 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Mansfield Town, Chelsea and Northampton Town.-Career:... |
||
| DF | 6 |  Steve ClarkeSteve Clarke Stephen "Steve" Clarke is a Scottish association football player and coach, currently the assistant manager at Liverpool. He played for St. Mirren, Chelsea and Scotland, winning three major trophies with Chelsea towards the end of his career... |
||
| CF | 19 |  Tore André FloTore André Flo Tore André Flo is a Norwegian football striker, who plays for the Norwegian club Sogndal. He initially retired after being released by the Milton Keynes Dons in 2009, but announced his comeback in March 2011. His brothers Jostein Flo and Jarle Flo, and cousin Håvard Flo are also professional... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| Gianluca Vialli Gianluca Vialli Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia.... |
||||
Mark SchwarzerMark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer OAM is an Australian association football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Premier League club Fulham. He rose to prominence during his time at North-East England football club Middlesbrough...
Gianluca FestaGianluca Festa
Gianluca Festa is an Italian footballer former defender turned coach-Playing career:Festa played with several notable teams, including Internazionale, AS Roma and Middlesbrough, being one of the first Italians to play in the Premier League. Festa arrived at Middlesbrough from Inter Milan in the...
Nigel PearsonNigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...
Steve VickersSteve Vickers (footballer)
Stephen "Steve" Vickers , is an English former association footballer who played as a central defender. He made nearly 600 appearances in the Football League and the Premier League, the majority of which were for Tranmere Rovers and Middlesbrough...
Vladimír KinderVladimír Kinder
Vladimír Kinder is a retired Slovak footballer. He is most notable for his spell playing as a Left Back with Middlesbrough in England between 1997 and 1999. He helped them reach three domestic cup finals as well as win promotion to the Premier League.He earned 1 cap for Czechoslovakia and 39...
Paul MersonPaul Merson
Paul Charles Merson is a retired English football player, and former player-manager of Walsall. His playing career has included spells at Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and finishing his playing career at Tamworth. He also played for England 21 times...
Robbie MustoeRobbie Mustoe
Robin "Robbie" Mustoe is a retired English footballer who now works as a commentator for ESPN. He made nearly 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League, playing as a midfielder for Oxford United, Middlesbrough, where he spent the majority of his career, Charlton Athletic and...
Neil MaddisonNeil Maddison
Neil Maddison is an English former footballer and is currently youth coach at Darlington. His main position was in midfield, but has played in all outfield positions during his career.-Playing career:...
Andy TownsendAndy Townsend
Andrew "Andy" David Townsend is a former professional footballer, who played in two World Cups for the Republic of Ireland and is now a television and radio pundit....
Hamilton RicardHamilton Ricard
Hámilton Ricard Cuesta is a Colombian footballer who plays for Colombian team Deportes Quindío as a striker, and has played for Deportivo Cali, Middlesbrough, CSKA Sofia, Independiente, Emelec, Shonan Bellmare, APOEL, Numancia, Danubio and Concepción over the course of his career.-Career:Ricard...
Marco BrancaMarco Branca
Marco Branca is an Italian former football striker who is currently head of the technical staff of Serie A club Internazionale.-Career:...
Curtis FlemingCurtis Fleming
Curtis Fleming is an english born Irish former international footballer. Fleming played his youth football at the famous Belvedere F.C.. Fleming played right back and won international honours for the Republic of Ireland at under-21, under-23 , and senior level. He started his career with St...
Mikkel BeckMikkel Beck
Mikkel Venge Beck is a Danish former football player, who played for a number of clubs, most famously for Middlesbrough FC and Fortuna Koln...
Paul GascoignePaul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
Bryan RobsonBryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
Chelsea
Round 3: Chelsea 1–1 Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
- (Chelsea won 4–1 on penalties)
Round 4: Chelsea 2–1 Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
Quarter-final: Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
2–2 Chelsea
- (Chelsea won 4–1 on penalties)
Semi-final, 1st leg: Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
2–1 Chelsea
Semi-final, 2nd leg: Chelsea 3–1 Arsenal
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Middlesbrough
Round 2, 1st leg: Middlesbrough 1–0 BarnetBarnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
Round 2, 2nd leg: Barnet 0–2 Middlesbrough
Round 3: Middlesbrough 2–0 Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
Round 4: Middlesbrough 1–1 Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
Quarter-final: Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
0–1 Middlesbrough
Semi-final, 1st leg: Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
2–1 Middlesbrough
Semi-final, 2nd leg: Middlesbrough 2–0 Liverpool
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