* Goals from Drogba and Alex put Chelsea in semi-finals
* Hiddink makes it six wins out of six games in charge
(adds detail, quotes)
By Mitch Phillips
LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Chelsea became the first team into
the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley when they comfortably beat
Championship (second division) Coventry City 2-0 away on
Saturday.
Goals in each half by Didier Drogba and Alex made it six wins
out of six under new manager Guus Hiddink.
Chelsea were knocked out by Championship side Barnsley at the
same stage last season but a repeat never looked likely.
Hiddink sent out a full-strength side despite the looming second
leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Juventus in Turin on
Tuesday and though they looked dangerous from the start, they were
gifted the opening goal in the 15th minute.
Ben Turner failed to get hold of his headed clearance of a long
ball and Scott Dann then dithered and was muscled off the ball by
Drogba. The Ivorian striker then went round keeper Kieran Westwood
and did well to turn in his left-footed shot from a tightening
angle.
Coventry, seeking to reach the semi-finals for the first time
since they won the Cup for the only time in 1987, struggled to
build any pressure and it was no real surprise when they fell
further behind after 72 minutes.
Alex and Drogba, who had both been off the pitch receiving
treatment after a collision, came back on and immediately joined a
counter-attack that ended with halftime substitute Ricardo Quaresma
crossing for the Brazilian defender to sidefoot home.
Chelsea enjoyed the added bonus of a first appearance since
August for Michael Essien, who played the last 30 minutes having
recovered from a knee ligament injury.
"We can be very satisfied with the win and the way we played,"
Hiddink told ITV. "I think we controlled the game very well and
then made a beautiful goal to kill the game."
The Dutchman, whose arrival appears to have given Drogba a new
lease of life, said he was not surprised by the striker's
turnaround from the moody figure he cut under Luiz Felipe
Scolari.
"He's dangerous but he's good for the team as well," he said.
"He can still improve and he's working on some special training
sessions. He likes to do that and it's paying off."
Coventry manager Chris Coleman said: "Up until the second goal
we were always pushing but we were playing against a side who had
won their last five games. We knew what quality we were up against,
the fans were fantastic but unfortunately we didn't get the
result."
Coleman's former club Fulham were at home to Manchester United
later on Saturday in the day's other quarter-final with more Cup
action on Sunday
