Chelsea beat Manchester City to secure place in FA Cup final | Football News

LONDON: Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 on Saturday to e book a place in subsequent month’s FA Cup final thanks to a second-half purpose by Hakim Ziyech that prolonged a outstanding turnaround since supervisor Thomas Tuchel took over as Blues coach in January. By distinction, City supervisor Pep Guardiola – who made eight modifications to the facet which beat Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek – noticed his dream of steering them to an unprecedented quadruple of titles come to an finish. 

Eight-times FA Cup winners Chelsea face Leicester City or Southampton, who play their semi-final on Sunday, in the showpiece match on May 15. It would be the Stamford Bridge facet`s fourth apperaance in the final in the previous 5 seasons. 

Ziyech scored in the fifty fifth minute when he tapped into an empty internet from a cross by Timo Werner with City goalkeeper Zack Steffen in no man`s land after racing off his line to shut Werner down however then seeming to change his thoughts.

“You always have to have the feeling before the game that you want to score,” the Morocco winger – who has struggled to discover his kind after arriving at Stamford Bridge from Ajax Amsterdam final 12 months – advised the BBC. “It was a good delivery and I put it in easy,” he mentioned.

City`s Steffen made some amends a couple of minutes later when his outstretched leg thwarted Ziyech when the ahead regarded sure to rating a second purpose after poor defending by City.

The victory at an empty Wembley Stadium, with followers not allowed to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions, leaves Tuchel in the hunt for 2 trophies with the Blues additionally in the Champions League semi-finals the place they face Real Madrid.

The German, who changed Frank Lampard after a stoop in kind by the Londoners, outsmarted Guardiola together with his game-plan, specializing in catching City with quick counter-attacks down the wings, one among which supplied the breakthrough second.

City`s woes have been compounded by the lack of midfielder Kevin de Bruyne early in the second half with an obvious ankle harm which Guardiola mentioned “probably doesn`t look quite good”.

Runaway Premier League leaders City may nonetheless win a treble of trophies this season as they’re again at Wembley for the League Cup Final towards Tottenham Hotspur subsequent Sunday and face Paris St Germain in the Champions League semi-finals.