Chelsea beat Crystal Palace by scoring 2 goals in the second half, after a hard-fought battle to reach the FA Cup final. This victory will see them take on Liverpool in the FA Cup final on 14 May.
Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace: Result and Overview
This semi-final tie between Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace was held in Wembley Stadium, where the two London clubs went head to head for a spot in the FA Cup final.
Following their 9 straight wins against Crystal Palace, Chelsea was a clear favorite to win this tie. However, the 10th place team in the EPL table, Crystal Palace, was well up for the challenge.
Patrick Vieira’s Eagles were organized in the defense in the first half, providing no real chances for Chelsea. The Blues became frustrated as the clock ticked on. Neither side created a meaningful opportunity in the first half of the match. Hence, the first 45 minutes ended with only one shot on target, Kai Havertz’s shot which was easy to grab for the Crystal Palace goalkeeper. Loftus-Cheek was brought in for Chelsea replacing Mateo Kovacic, who struggled in the first half.
The second half started in the same fashion. Thomas Tuchel’s side created pressure against the organized Crystal Palace defense. The South London Eagles were sitting deep in the defense, waiting for the opportunity to catch Chelsea on the counter.
Crystal Palace could take the lead in the 61st minute from a corner kick, but Kouyate’s header went agonizingly wide of the post.
However, Crystal Palace’s defense was cracked in the 65th minute when Loftus-Cheek fired one into the nets from inside the box, making it a 1-0 goal. Tyrick Mitchell lost the ball near the box, which Kai Havertz took to the byline for a cross for Loftus-Cheek, who made no mistake to fire it into the top corner.
The Blues sealed the match with another goal 10 minutes later. Timo Werner tricked the defense for a square pass to Mason Mount. Mount’s excellent first touch beat the defense inside the box, and he made no mistake to send the ball into the bottom corner, making it 2-0 in favor of Chelsea.
Thomas Tuchel’s side finished the match comfortably with the lead. It was their 10 straight win against Crystal Palace. The Blues are qualified for their 3rd consecutive FA Cup finals. Chelsea will take on Liverpool in the FA Cup final next month.
- Result: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
Who will play in the FA Cup Final?
Chelsea will play against Liverpool in the FA Cup final on 14 May 2022.
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