Chelsea beat United to reach semi-finals

By

Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0

Demba Ba’s delightful goal and Petr Cech’s extraordinary save took Chelsea into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Ba struck three minutes into the second half of an entertaining replay at Stamford Bridge.

Juan Mata lifted the ball forward and, having crept away from Rio Ferdinand, the Blues striker hooked a volley beyond keeper David de Gea and into the far corner.

And Cech brilliantly prevented an equaliser on the hour mark, somehow managing to push over Javier Hernandez’s header from Danny Welbeck’s right-wing cross.

Chelsea, who face Manchester City in the last four, suffered a blow midway through the first half, when Ashley Cole limped off with a hamstring injury after pulling up during a race for the ball with Welbeck.

The home side also had a scare when Antonio Valencia fired wide – and when Cech nervously saved with his foot to keep out Hernandez’s swerving long-range shot.

But Ba’s goal put them ahead soon after the break and Eden Hazard almost doubled the lead when he fired narrowly wide.

Substitute Robin van Persie missed two late chances for United.

The Dutchman shot over after being teed up by Patrice Evra and then headed over from Ashley Young’s cross.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1):  Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole (Bertrand 22); Mikel, Ramires; Hazard, Oscar (Moses 90), Mata; Ba (Torres 90).
Subs not used: Turnbull, Lampard, Terry, Benayoun.

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

 

Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on Facebook