Chelsea beats Leicester in extra time to advance in irrelevant tournament

Two disinterested teams played each other in a tournament nobody cares about and one of them won that game 4-2 in extra time. Meaning that this winning team, Chelsea, has to keep slogging through the League Cup, a third-rate tournament given no importance at all by any of the big teams in it, who prefer the Premier League, the FA Cup and any continental competition they might be active in. And it means the losing team, Leicester City, is rewarded for its third-round ouster by getting to scrap a few games off its congested schedule.

This is the weird, perverted math and incentivization of a tournament that has felt pointless for more than a decade, used as a proving ground for prospects on the precipice of a first-team career, backups who need a game and scrubs called in to spell the regulars.

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The last two English champions fielded diluted lineups on Tuesday, as the big clubs will all do so in this tournament unless they accidentally reach the final stages. Because winning this thing isn’t in their plans for the season. Unless you’re a team with no hope at all of winning the league or even the FA Cup, there’s no major glory to be won here. So the Blues and the Foxes participate casually.

Leicester took a commanding lead. In the 17th minute, Shinji Okazaki capitalized on some shambolic defending by Chelsea, when Cesar Azpilicueta chested a low Ahmed Musa cross away, but bounced it to the Japanese forward, who cleverly nodded his header past the idle defenders and goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

Then, just after the half hour, Okazaki scored another bouncer that barely trickled over the line, courtesy of more poor defending.

Just before halftime, however, Gary Cahill scored for Chelsea to make it a game. His header was cleared by Danny Drinkwater just beyond the line – a third straight such goal to barely squeak in – but bounced off David Luiz and back into the net anyway.

Four minutes after the break, Azpilicueta hit a stupendous equalizer. A poorly cleared ball arced into his path and he volleyed it marvelously into the near upper 90.

In truth, Chelsea dominated from Okazaki’s second goal onwards. And while Demarai Gray had a credible penalty shout and Musa a decent shot in the second half, Diego Costa had a handful of good looks for the Blues at the other end. A late red card for Leicester defender Marcin Wasilewski for planting a forearm into Costa’s neck seemed to seal the Foxes’ fate.

But sorting out a result required extra time. In the first minute thereof, Chelsea finally won it. It was a lovely play by Hazard that did it. He combined with Costa and then stepped on the ball to deaden it for Cesc Fabregas, who swept it home.

Three minutes later, a poor clearance fell for Cesc, who ripped it into the net from close range to make it 4-2.

New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte looked happy after both of those goals. The competitor in him, maybe. Players and coaches still enjoy winning soccer games. Or maybe he actually cares about the League Cup.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.