Football news - Chelsea beat Spurs on penalties to set up Wembley date with Man City
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Updated 24/01/2019 at 22:21 GMT
Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, Stamford Bridge - Chelsea 2 (Kante 27', Hazard 39') Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Llorente 51') 2-2 on aggregate, Chelsea win 4-2 on penalties
David Luiz celebrates after scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out during the English League Cup semi-final second-leg football match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.
Image credit: Eurosport
Chelsea beat London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 on penalties on Thursday evening to book their place in the final of the Carabao Cup.
The Blues came into the tie trailing by a solitary goal from the first leg, but they quickly drew level on aggregate when N'Golo Kante's strike from the edge of the area found its way through via a couple of deflections.
And Chelsea went ahead when Eden Hazard tapped in from the centre of the area. Yet the home side struggled to cope as Spurs rallied after the break.
Mauricio Pochettino's side eventually got their goal as Fernando Llorente stooped to head home in the box under pressure from the Chelsea defence.
In the shoot-out, Chelsea nailed all four of their penalties as Willian, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho and David Luiz scored from the spot.
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Cesar Azpilicueta (L) celebrates with Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on the pitch after winning the penalty shoot-out after the English League Cup semi-final second-leg football match.
Image credit: Eurosport
However Spurs were let down by Eric Dier, who blazed his penalty over, and Lucas Moura, who saw his spot-kick saved well by Kepa Arrizabalaga,
Chelsea will face Premier League champions Manchester City in the final at Wembley Stadium on February 24.
TALKING POINT: Chelsea answer Sarri’s calls
Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri lay down the gauntlet when questioning his players’ motivation after the weekend defeat to Arsenal, and they responded in style with a terrific first-half display. Spurs looked a different side after the break and it made for an enthralling encounter, but Sarri will be delighted with the manner of their victory.
The Italian will also be relieved to have Gonzalo Higuain at his disposal soon, with Olivier Giroud failing to convert two late chances which would have avoided the drama of penalties.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
A false-nine no more. With Olivier Giroud starting, Hazard returned to the left wing and looked back to his devastating best in the first half; looking at times unmarkable, ghosting past defenders for fun, and timing his run to perfection for Chelsea’s second goal.
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Chelsea’s Eden Hazard celebrates
Image credit: PA Sport
It didn’t go his way in the second half as Spurs responded brilliantly, while he would no doubt have been down for the fifth penalty, but he wasn’t needed in the end with Luiz taking the winning spot-kick.
PLAYER RATINGS
- Chelsea: Kepa 6, Azpilicueta 7, Luiz 6, Rudiger 6, Emerson 6, Jorginho 6, Kante 7, Barkley 5, Pedro 6, Giroud 5, Hazard 7..subs: Willian 6, Kovacic 6
- Tottenham: Gazzaniga 7, Aurier 6, Alderweireld 7, Vertonghen 6, Davies 6, Dier 5, Winks 5, Sissoko 7, Eriksen 6, Lamela 6, Llorente 6 subs: Rose 6, Moura 6, Sanchez 6
KEY MOMENTS
- 28 - GOAL! Kante levels the tie on aggregate! How has this squeezed in? After a corner, the ball falls to Kante on the edge of the area, and his low strike goes through THREE pairs of legs, taking a nick of Sissoko to go under Gazzaniga. What a bizarre goal.
- 39 - GOAL! Hazard for Chelsea! The hosts go 2-0 up on the night, but crucially 2-1 up on aggregate, and you have to say they deserve it. A quick free-kick sees Hazard find Pedro, who plays it over for Azpiliceuta and his cross is back with Hazard who stabs it home!
- 51 - GOAL! Llorente scores for Spurs! And it's 2-2 on aggregate all of a sudden. Rose's cross is turned in by Llorente and Spurs' tactical switch has worked!
- 65 - CHANCE! Spurs go on the break and Eriksen's delightful cross is volleyed well wide by Llorente when he should have taken a touch! Poch falls to his knees in despair.
- 70 - SIDE NETTING! It's a STUNNING kick forward from Gazzaniga which sets up Moura perfectly down in the other box, but he sends his effort into the side netting!
- PENALTY SHOOTOUT – Dier fires over before Moura’s effort is saved by Kepa, and with Chelsea having scored their first three spot-kicks, it allows Luiz to score Chelsea’s fourth penalty to seal a spot in Wembley.
KEY STATS
- Chelsea have reached the League Cup final for the eighth time; the joint-most final appearances by a London club in the competition (also Spurs and Arsenal).
- Maurizio Sarri is the sixth manager to take Chelsea to a League Cup final and just the fourth to do it in his first season in charge (after Vialli, Mourinho and Grant).
- Chelsea won just their second League Cup penalty shoot-out in their last six attempts, with both shootout successes coming at home.
- This was the third time that Spurs have failed to progress from a League Cup semi-final having won the first leg, alongside crashing out against Newcastle in 1975-76 and Arsenal in 1986-87.
- In all competitions, Chelsea have lost none of the 46 games in which Eden Hazard has scored in at Stamford Bridge (P46 W39 D7 L0).
- Since the start of last season, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has been directly involved in seven goals in his eight League Cup games (4 goals, 3 assists).
- N’Golo Kante has scored four goals in 30 apps for Chelsea in all competitions this season – as many as he netted in his previous three seasons in England combined (4 in 129 apps).
- Fernando Llorente has scored eight goals in his last five starts for Tottenham in all competitions.
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