Chelsea 4 Leicester 2: Blues leave it late to book place in FA Cup semi-final after horror own-goal and Foxes red card
MAURICIO POCHETTINO booked a return trip to Wembley for Chelsea just three weeks after the last one.
A largely comfortable win over Championship leaders Leicester means they are heading back for the second time this season in next month’s FA Cup semi finals.
With the experience of a last-gasp Carabao Cup Final defeat to Liverpool behind them, the fans will hope that next time around it will be a more successful outcome.
But while Pochettino’s team looks to have eased past lower league opposition on paper, there were still some wobbly moments from his expensive team.
A goal after 14 minutes from Marc Cucurella – his first for Chelsea and his first since May 2022 – gave them the perfect early start.
And when Raheem Sterling was brutally upended in the box by clumsy Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu 12 minutes after that, it should have been game over then.
But having already missed one chance in front of goal, Sterling demanded the ball from regular spot kick taker Cole Palmer, only to aim a tame shot straight at the keeper.
Sterling also wasted another golden opportunity to make it 2-0 when put clean through by Moises Caicedo but blasted wide.
There were also shaky moments at the back with keeper Robert Sanchez clearly lacking sharpness and getting caught out.
Several times Cucurella, returning from ankle surgery and standing in for Ben Chilwell, had to rescue his team with drastic clearances when Sanchez fumbled.
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Sterling made up for his earlier blunders by assisting for the goal that doubled Chelsea’s lead on the stroke of half time.
He burst through the City defence after picking up a flicked on header by Mykhailo Mudryk and raced to the by line before cutting the ball back for Cole Palmer to tap home from three yards – a perfect way to celebrate his latest England call up.
Chelsea reached two Wembley finals in 2022 when they faced Liverpool in the Carabao and FA Cup finals – losing both.
Sterling clearly did not want to go quietly and took the free kick but cannoned it high and wide, leading to the round of booing.
Pochettino brought on midfielder Chukwuemeka for Mudryk which triggered further anger in the stands.
But the supersub’s one-two with Palmer in added time finally broke City’s resolve.
And when fellow sub Madueke dribbled through the defence on the edge of the box he hit a spectacular lob past the keeper that sends Chelsea back to Wembley after losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool.
Remind yourself how the game went with our live blog below.