Chelsea had the best play and chances in the first 45, and even had the ball in the back of the net through Hakim Ziyech, but Timo Werner just got a shoulder offside in the build-up and these days the offside flag comes at snail post.
Much more dubious decisions about referees follow, with Mike Dean (and VAR) ignoring Fernandinho and stepping on Mount’s face (repeating many times that he ‘accidentally’ doubts), and then Dean does not even give a yellow for a bounce. up tackle from Fernandinho. on the mountain. And when it looked like a good suit from Reece James for the man again, Fernandinho, the Chelsea man gets booked rather.
Fernandinho also came closest to City in the first half, and he flashed a solid lead wide from the posts. Chelsea, on the other hand, created some excellent passes, but did not really threaten the goal too much.
That all changed early in the second half, even though City started well, with Chelsea seizing the lead in a very similar move to the one that ruled out a goal in the first half. On Mount’s breakthrough, Werner came to the side this time, and with the goalkeeper stranded in no man’s land, Ziyech had the task of placing the ball in the empty net after Werner’s square ball.
Ziyech would (should) have doubled Chelsea’s lead just a few minutes later, as the otherwise excellent Ruben Dias missed an interception. But Ziyech’s right-footed effort 1-v-1 lacked conviction, accuracy or any form of quality, and the goalkeeper was able to save himself.
City used their in-form big hitters like Gundogan and Foden, but Chelsea were able to stay strong at the back and score the clean sweep and win! Pulisic even had the ball late in the back of the net, but was rightly ruled out for offside (again by a late-late flag).
Carefree.
- Only three changes from Tuesday for Tuchel, with Ziyech and Werner coming out on top and Kepa returning in goal as in all domestic cups.
- Pulisic for Mount for the last 20 minutes, and then on to 3-5-2 for the last 10, with Emerson (on for Ziyech) as a third midfielder. Havertz also pitched for the final ten in place of Werner.
- Hopefully Silva’s back injury is nothing serious. Zouma has been in his place for the last 5 minutes.
- The FA Cup final will be played on May 15 against Leicester City or Southampton. They play their semi-final tomorrow.
- Fourth FA Cup final in five years for Chelsea!
- No quadruple for the city!
- Next: Brighton in the league on Tuesday. West Ham lost to Newcastle earlier today, meaning the top four are back in our hands if we win.
- KTBFFH
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