Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy felt his League One side were well in the hunt for a huge Carabao Cup upset against Chelsea before the Premier League side scored twice in the final 10 minutes to seal a place in the last four of the competition.
The Cork man, who took over as manager in the summer and has the Bluebirds flying high at the top of the League One table, felt the game was there for the taking when David Turnbull had given the League One leaders hopes of causing a shock 15 minutes from time, equalising with a superb diving header.
The 47-year-old, whose current role is his first managerial position in four years after coaching roles at Manchester City and Leicester City, felt his team were on the front foot and full value for their equaliser against a Chelsea side that made 11 changes from their league win over Everton last Saturday.
Goals from substitutes Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho in injury-time – his second of the night – saved the blushes of the world champions.
“It’s probably just the hope that kills you when you score a goal,” he said
“I felt we were in the ascendancy and had a great chance to maybe grab a winner, but it wasn’t to be.
“The support was right behind us, even at 3-1, right to the last minute.”
His Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca declared himself “happy” after being serenaded by the away fans at Cardiff City Stadium following their win.
The Chelsea boss made headlines by saying after Saturday’s win over Everton that the previous 48 hours had been his worst at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca – pictured above – shut down multiple questions at his pre-match press conference on Monday about whom he was targeting and said after Chelsea’s 3-1 win that he had not spoken to the club’s hierarchy following his weekend comments.
“I’m just happy, we’re going to play another semi-final and I think it’s what the fans deserve,” Maresca said after celebrating with Chelsea fans at the final whistle and having his name sung by them.
“It was a great moment, I appreciate, always thankful. In some moments when you don’t win games, they have been not happy, but it’s normal. But overall, the fans have always been there.
“These are the kind of games that I fall in love even more with the players because you cannot imagine how easy it is to slip, to slide, because they are tricky games.
“Every season there are teams that they lost against, you know, League Two or League One. You need to pay attention, you need to do the right things.”