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Stoke 1 - Chelsea 1 (1-1 AET Stoke win 5-4 on pens): Mourinho on brink of the sack
JOSE MOURINHO moved a step closer to the sack at Chelsea after his side were beaten by Stoke in the Capital One Cup on penalties.
John Walters opened the scoring
Jon Walters' stunning strike looked like it might be enough to settle an even tie in 90 minutes until Loic Remy sent it into extra-time.
A goalless half an hour meant penalties and such is Chelsea's luck, Stoke going through seemed almost inevitable.
After nine perfect spotkicks from both sides it was Eden Hazard who missed the decisive one.
Loic Remy equalised in the dying minutes
And a gruelling tie will have done little good as the Blues prepare for Saturday's crunch clash with Liverpool.
Striker Diego Costa heaped on the misery as he could now miss the game after he was forced off in the first half through injury and replaced by Remy.
A loss at Anfield could seal Mourinho's fate.
John Terry almost put the visitors in front but he was clearly offside as he headed past Jack Butland.
Jack Butland celebrates after saving the crucial penalty to send Stoke through
Both sides exchanged chances before Costa's injury, with Phil Bardsley firing wide and Oscar doing likewise.
After Costa came off, it was the hosts who appeared to be in the ascendancy.
And Walters stunned the Blues as he brought the ball under control on the edge of the box before rifling in off the underside of the crossbar.
With the match drawing to a close, Costa's replacement Remy was in the right place at the right time to fire into the roof of the net from close range.
And it was Mourinho's men who looked the most likely in injury time but they couldn't find a way to goal through Hazard and Kurt Zouma.
After the first nine penalties went in, Hazard's misery was compounded as his crucial effort was superbly saved by Butland to send Stoke into the next round.