Eight-time winners Chelsea reached the FA Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought home win over Sheffield United.
The Blues, beaten as finalists last season, progressed in fortunate circumstances when Ben Chilwell’s low cross was steered into his own net by Blades midfielder Oliver Norwood.
Christian Pulisic was twice rejected by away goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and Callum Hudson-Odoi shot past when the hosts were about to end the game.
David McGoldrick missed a great chance to equalize when he headed from close range on John Lundstram’s right cross before home goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga saved from Oliver McBurnie.
When Sheffield United pushed for a goal to bring it into overtime, Chelsea slumped in stoppage time and Hakim Ziyech scored his second low-strike goal to bring them into the last four for the fourth time in five seasons.
The semi-finals will take place in Wembley on the weekend of April 17-18. The draw will be broadcast live on BBC One – halfway through the quarter-finals on Sunday between Leicester City and Manchester United (kick-off at 5:00 p.m. MEDIUM GREENWICH TIME).
Blues back to Wembley
Chelsea lost 2-1 to Arsenal in the 2020 final in August 2020 – Frank Lampard was unable to win a trophy in his one and a half seasons.
His last game as manager was the 3-1 fourth round win over Luton in January and new boss Thomas Tuchel has led them to wins against Barnsley and Sheffield United to send them back to Wembley.
This win continues their fantastic record under the German, who has not yet lost in his 14 games, lifted them from ninth to fourth place in the Premier League and also led them to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Before the game at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea had created confusion by posting the wrong team on their Twitter account.
When they corrected it, it emerged that they had made nine changes since Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid, when some squad players had a chance to impress Tuchel.
They led the way in the 24th minute when the unlucky Norwood steered the ball off Chilwell’s cross into his own goal and was denied just a second when Pulisic’s shot was blocked by Ramsdale.
Ben Chilwell’s low cross was turned by Oliver Norwood for an own goal for Chelsea’s first goal
Pulisic, who started for only the third time under Tuchel, almost scored in the early stages of the second half when he dribbled superbly past two Blades defenders but was rejected by Ramsdale before firing the rebound from an acute angle.
Chelsea then had to show their defensive strength for a spell in the second half but Ziyech scored for the second straight time to seal the win late.
The blades fight hard but fail to break through the Chelsea defense
For Sheffield United this was their last chance to salvage something from a miserable season in which they suffered at the end of the Premier League. You are 14 points for security reasons with only nine league games left.
After finishing ninth in 2019-20, the Blades only won seven games in all competitions in 2020-21. Former boss Chris Wilder had taken her from the first division to the top division and previously left the club by mutual agreement this month.
This was only Paul Heckingbottom’s second game since Wilder’s departure and the Blades had been beaten 5-0 in Leicester’s first game on Wednesday.
Heckingbottom, who was injured without defender Chris Basham and striker Billy Sharp, showed that his side were hard-working, but again it showed that there was no shortage of the front.
Back on the side after a knee injury at Leicester, McGoldrick had chances early and late in the first half but was only able to shoot straight at home goalkeeper Arrizabalaga on both occasions.
The Blades, who scored the fewest goals in the Premier League at 16 in 29 games, should have equalized when McGoldrick was free, but could only take a header off Lundstram’s cross.
McBurnie was also turned down after Sheffield United failed to break a Chelsea defense that was conceded only twice under Tuchel in almost two months. The hosts did not concede a goal for the seventh time in a row in all competitions.
FA Cup semi-final number 25 for Chelsea – the stats
- Chelsea have now won 10 of their 14 games under Thomas Tuchel (four draws), with only Manchester City (14) having won more games in all competitions of all teams in the five best European leagues since the German’s first responsible game.
- Sheffield United’s defeat was 24th in all competitions – 10 more than last season – while being the top club they only suffered more losses in one other season (29 in 1975-76).
- Chelsea have reached their 25th FA Cup semi-finals, the third largest of all clubs behind Everton (26), Manchester United and Arsenal (both 30).
- Chelsea have been clean in each of their last seven games – their best run since December 2005 (also seven). In fact, only once before in the club’s history have they managed a long string of consecutive failures (nine between November and December 1905).
- Only Arsenal (four) have conceded more own goals in all competitions this season than Sheffield United (three) among all Premier League clubs.
- Sheffield United have left the FA Cup in the quarterfinals for two consecutive seasons for the first time since 1958/59 and 1959/60 under managers Archie Clark and John Harris.
- After 19 games without a goal in all competitions, Hakim Ziyech has played two consecutive games for Chelsea since then. He now has the same number of goals under Tuchel (nine games) as under Frank Lampard (17).
What’s next?
Teams have a week off as the international break against Chelsea with a Premier League home game against West Brom (12:30 BST) ahead of the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Porto is in action on Saturday April 3 Wednesday April 7th (8:00 p.m. CET).
Sheffield United will play in a Yorkshire derby in Leeds on April 3rd (15:00 BST).
More will follow.
Constellations
Chelsea
formation 3-4-2-1
1Arrizabalaga
4thChristensen15thZouma33Emerson
20thHudson-Odoi23Gilmour17thKovacic21Chilwell
19thAssemble10Pulisic
18thGiroud
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 4thChristensenReplaced byAzpilicuetaat the 63 ‘protocol
- 15thZouma
- 33Emerson
- 20thHudson-OdoiReplaced byHavertzat the 72 ‘protocol
- 23GilmourReplaced byZiyechat the 72 ‘protocol
- 17thKovacic
- 21Chilwell
- 19thAssemble
- 10PulisicReplaced byKantéat the 83 ‘protocol
- 18thGiroudReplaced byJamesat the 63 ‘protocol
replacement
- 2Rudiger
- 3Alonso
- 7thKanté
- 11Werner
- 13thCaballero
- 22ndZiyech
- 24James
- 28Azpilicueta
- 29Havertz
Sheff Utd
formation 3-5-2
1Ramsdale
2Baldock15thJagielka3Stevens
20thBogle7thLundstram16Norwood4thspot23Osborn
9McBurnie17thMcGoldrick
- 1Ramsdale
- 2Baldock
- 15thJagielka
- 3Stevens
- 20thBogleReplaced byMoussetat the 90 ‘protocol
- 7thLundstram
- 16NorwoodReplaced byBrewsterat the 79 ‘protocol
- 4thspot
- 23Osborn
- 9McBurnieReplaced byBurkeat the 75 ‘protocol
- 17thMcGoldrick
replacement
- 11Mousset
- 13thLion
- 14thBurke
- 18thFoderingham
- 24Brewster
- 29Bryan
- 31Main burden
- 33Gordon
- 34Ndiaye
Live text
End of the game, Chelsea 2, Sheffield United 0.
The second half ends, Chelsea 2, Sheffield United 0.
Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).
Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal! Chelsea 2, Sheffield United 0. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) shot with his left foot from the center of the box into the lower right corner. Assisted by Ben Chilwell with a cross.
Corner, Sheffield United. The corner was caused by Mateo Kovacic.
Attempt blocked. Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Lys Mousset replaces Jayden Bogle.
Mason Mount (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by John Fleck (Sheffield United).
Foul by N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea).
David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Sheffield United. Phil Jagielka tries a through ball, but Rhian Brewster is caught offside.
Substitution, Chelsea. N’Golo Kanté replaces Christian Pulisic.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Rhian Brewster replaces Oliver Norwood.
Missed attempt. Enda Stevens (Sheffield United) header from the left side of the six yard box is close but missed to the left. Assisted by Oliver Norwood with a cross from a set piece.
Foul by Ben Chilwell (Chelsea).
Jayden Bogle (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Oliver Burke replaces Oliver McBurnie.
Substitution, Chelsea. Kai Havertz replaces Callum Hudson-Odoi.
