League Cup semi-final 1st leg - Chelsea 2 Everton 1:Everton have waited 13 years for a major final to hove into view though they will fear their opportunity has been snatched away from them.

This first leg had veered into stoppage-time with the visitors creditably level and comfortable when Shaun Wright-Phillips, leaping above the grounded Joleon Lescott, prompted the defender to nod into his own net from close range.

In a split second, the momentum of this tie had shifted.

The turnaround was stunning. The visitors had forced parity, with their hosts reduced to 10 men by Mikel John Obi's dismissal in the 55th minute, only to yield so inexplicably at the last.

David Moyes' side must conjure a first victory over the Londoners since 2000 in the second leg. That would have been required regardless, but Chelsea will be a potent threat on the break. A spiteful contest, littered with cards, has left the Merseysiders deflated. Wembley remains cruelly out of reach.

Everton's record in these parts had been wretched for some time, their most recent victory at Stamford Bridge so distant it pre-dated their last appearance in a semi-final of a competition. Paul Rideout had scored their winning goal back in 1994, but a sense of impending dread has choked them on each visit to west London since.

This season's heartening draw here in the Premier League, courtesy of Tim Cahill's last-minute equaliser, had stood out as exceptional. By the interval last night, normal service appeared to have been resumed.

The visitors had bustled effectively enough in the opening stages, as if anticipating a need to draw Chelsea's sting. Andrew Johnson and James McFadden, happiest in the final third, had tracked back with rare energy and sprung forward when they could.

Indeed, the opening quarter had yielded a quartet of presentable opportunities from which Moyes would at least have hoped to have tested Hilario in the home goal. Instead, each petered out.

Everton were holding their hosts at arm's length when, midway through the first period, Wright-Phillips drifted into space behind Lee Carsley on the edge of the box and gathered Florent Malouda's pass.

The Irishman was too slow on the turn to intervene, with Tony Hibbert distracted as he tracked Wayne Bridge's advance down the left flank, allowing Wright-Phillips to spin the ball out of his feet and curl a shot across the turning Joseph Yobo and in beyond Tim Howard off his far post.

Rewards this thrilling have been few and far between for the England midfielder since he swapped Manchester City for a darker shade of blue, but, while the visitors' optimism had been deflated, the niggly nature of this contest eventually thrust them a lifeline in Mikel's final contribution ahead of the African Cup of Nations to change the complexion.

Ten minutes into the second period the central midfielder slid in on Phil Neville, scraping his studs down the visiting captain's shin as the Evertonian's leg dangled in the air, with the challenge reckless rather than malicious. The African was baffled at the red card. His was a wry smile as he trudged from the turf.

That suspension will be served in absentia. The real punishment was inflicted once Mikel had returned to the dressingroom. Substitute Steve Sidwell fouled Carsley with McFadden's free-kick knocked back by Joseph Yobo at the far post as Hilario pawed at thin air. Yakubu Ayegbeni, turning smartly, hammered a glorious equaliser into the top corner.

However, Wright-Phillips would have the last word, on and off the field.

"It was all down to hard work and team spirit - that's how we train and we had to take it on the pitch," Wright-Phillips said after the match. "The character, team spirit and everything we showed today when down to 10 men - Everton are a hard team with good players. It's easy to lose games, we had to stay compact and concentrate."

The man of the match was confident enough to try to hijack Lescott's own-goal as his after he leapt with the Everton defender in injury-time. "Of course I touched it and I'm going to claim it."

Guardian Service

CHELSEA:Hilario, Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Obi, Ballack, Malouda (Ben-Haim 90), Joe Cole (Sidwell 61), Pizarro (Ferreira 83). Subs not used: Cudicini, Sahar. Sent off: Obi (55). Booked: Joe Cole, Belletti.

EVERTON:Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Cahill, Neville, Carsley, McFadden, Johnson, Yakubu (Anichebe 89). Subs not used: Wessels, Gravesen, Vaughan, Nuno Valente. Booked: Carsley, Hibbert, Neville, Johnson.

Goals:Wright-Phillips 26 Lescott 90 (og); Yakubu 64

Attendance:41,178

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).