Goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount helped Chelsea reach their third consecutive FA Cup final after beating Crystal Palace 2-0 at Wembley on Saturday.
2021-22:
2020-21:
2019-20:Chelsea make their third-straight FA Cup final appearance
pic.twitter.com/8s6GSREGLK
— cricketsoccer (@cricketsoccer) April 17, 2022
Thomas Tuchel’s side bounced back from their Champions League exit on Tuesday with two second-half goals after a nervy opening period where they struggled to find a way through Palace’s defence.
Loftus-Cheek scored his first goal in three years to break the deadlock in the 65th minute, while Mount secured the victory 10 minutes later with a tidy finish into the bottom-right corner.
Chelsea will face Liverpool, who beat Manchester City 3-2 in the first semifinal on Saturday, in the final on May 14 in a repeat of the Carabao Cup final in February, where Jurgen Klopp’s side claimed the trophy on penalties.
It was a nervy start as Chelsea dominated possession during the opening period but could not break through the Palace defence, with the south London side looking dangerous on the counter-attack.
The best chance of the half came just before the break from Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, who volleyed clearance from Marcos Alonso towards Edouard Mendy, forcing the Chelsea goalkeeper into a diving save.
Chelsea were much improved after halftime and came close when substitute Loftus-Cheek, who replaced a limping Mateo Kovacic after 24 minutes, sent a ball through Palace’s defence for Timo Werner to run onto.
Rematch
pic.twitter.com/b9nkhOScS4
— cricketsoccer (@cricketsoccer) April 17, 2022
However, Chelsea’s breakthrough came after 65 minutes when Kai Havertz’s ball across goal was deflected out to Loftus-Cheek, whose first-time strike on the volley took a deflection past Jack Butland and into the net.
Mount doubled their lead shortly after, weaving through the Palace defence before slotting the ball past Butland into the corner.
Romelu Lukaku nearly made it three for Chelsea with a minute to go, but his effort bounced off the right post.
It will be Chelsea’s fifth FA cup final in the past six seasons, with the side claiming the trophy once in 2018.
Courtesy: ESPN FC