Carney Chukwuemeka came through for Chelsea in a nail-biting finish, securing a 4-2 victory over 10-man Leicester in an exhilarating FA Cup quarter-final showdown on Sunday.
The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge was charged as Mauricio Pochettino’s squad barely escaped a spirited comeback from Leicester, who are pushing for promotion in the Championship.
Chukwuemeka’s goal in the dying moments spared Chelsea the ordeal of extra time, with Noni Madueke adding a fourth goal to quiet the disgruntled fans who had voiced their frustrations towards Pochettino during the game.
This marks Chelsea’s sixth appearance in the FA Cup semi-finals in the past eight years, yet the victory didn’t come without its share of challenges for Pochettino’s side.
Despite a comfortable two-goal lead at halftime, courtesy of strikes from Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer, Chelsea stumbled in the second half. Raheem Sterling’s missed penalty and Axel Disasi’s own goal allowed Leicester back into the game, leveling the score.
However, Leicester’s Callum Doyle’s red card for a professional foul on Nicolas Jackson shifted the momentum back in Chelsea’s favor.
Chelsea, who haven’t clinched a domestic trophy since their last FA Cup triumph six years ago, find themselves struggling in the Premier League under Pochettino’s management. Winning the FA Cup could provide some relief for the under-pressure manager.
The match saw Chelsea take the lead early on through Cucurella’s conversion of a low cross from Nicolas Jackson. Palmer extended the lead just before halftime, despite Sterling’s penalty miss earlier in the game.
Disasi’s own goal and Mavididi’s stunning equalizer put Leicester back in contention, but Doyle’s sending off tilted the game back towards Chelsea.
Despite some frustration from the fans towards Sterling and Pochettino, Chelsea ultimately secured the win with Chukwuemeka’s late strike and Madueke’s deflected shot in the final moments, securing their spot in the FA Cup semi-finals.
