City failed to test Carlo Cudicini in a rather evenly contested first half, while for Chelsea Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink fired wide after getting past City defender Malky Mackay on five minutes. On 10 minutes Marcel Desailly headed over from six yards out after a corner from Graeme Le Saux.
Six minutes later Sam Dalla Bona's far post header went wide from another Le Saux corner as Chelsea looked to open the scoring. City suffered a blow when influential midfielder Phil Mulryne went off on 18 minutes, being replaced by the combative Darel Russell, after he was clattered by Dalla Bona. Albert Ferrer had a dubious penalty appeal turned down on 24 minutes during a spell of Chelsea pressure, but Chelsea weren't looking like scoring. Melchiot came on for Ferrer and Terry for the outstanding Desailly at half-time for Chelsea, and suddenly Norwich began to take control of the game. McVeigh cut in from the left on 53 minutes and curled a right-foot shot from 15 yards, forcing Chelsea keeper Cudicini into his first save.
Soon after, Marc Libbra burst forward but his shot was blocked by William Gallas. Steen Nedergaard then crossed for Russell, who missed the ball as he attempted to head on goal. Mackay headed wide from a McVeigh corner and Alex Notman also had a shot that was blocked.
Chelsea won a free-kick on the edge of the box on 59 minutes but Hasselbaink's shot hit the City wall. Darren Kenton tested Cudicini with a shot and City were the dominant side in the second period.Cudicini had to make a brilliant double save from substitute Rivers towards the end of the game as City looked for the winner, single-handedly saving Chelsea from a giant killing. Rivers attacked down the right and went past Nigeria defender Celestine Babayaro and hit a shot, which was saved by Cudicini's legs, before the Italian keeper then saved Rivers's second shot from the rebound with his hands.
City fully deserved the draw and, if not for the impressive antics of Cudicini, would have surely won the game and got through to the 4th Round for the first time in five years.
 |  |