Chelsea 1-0 Leeds United: Enzo Fernández Sends Blues Into FA Cup Final

Enzo Fernández returned to the Chelsea FC team in style as he grabbed the winning goal in the FA Cup semi-final, sending Chelsea to the final.

A well-placed and perfectly timed cross from Pedro Neto led to the on-rushing Fernández nodding home for the London outfit, setting them on their way to Wembley once again.

Chelsea Take Control After Bright Leeds Start

The game started evenly, with both sides crafting a few chances in the early stages.

None were bigger than the one that fell to Leeds United and Brenden Aaronson.

The American was played in by his striker and took his time before firing a low shot. Robert Sánchez got down well and kept the game level.

From there, the game found a rhythm in favour of Chelsea.

The managerless Blues kept possession and continuously threatened the wide areas.

Eventually, the goal came.

Enzo Fernández was the scorer.

From Sánchez in goal, Chelsea worked the ball all the way up the pitch to Pedro Neto wide on the right. The Portuguese winger chipped in a delightful cross right onto the Argentine’s head only six yards out.

1-0.

Following that goal, the half fizzled out into one with very few chances.

A brief VAR check looked at Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a hair pull on Chelsea’s Spanish full-back Marc Cucurella, but it was judged that there was nothing in it.

Half chances came and went for Leeds.

Noah Okafor slashed at the ball erratically on the half-volley after it dropped from a corner, and the ball spun well over and wide, taking the Yorkshire side into half-time one goal down.

Leeds Push, Chelsea Hold Firm

Immediately after half-time, Leeds came straight at their London opponents.

Anton Stach, making his first start since West Ham, smashed a piledriver goalwards, requiring a strong diving save from Sánchez to send it looping over.

Almost instantly after the resulting corner, Chelsea came down the right again and Malo Gusto was played in on the right-hand side of the box.

He cut it back, played it to Enzo Fernández, who flicked it on to João Pedro.

Pedro could not get his shot away though, and the ball was bundled out for a corner.

Ten minutes later, a wicked cross was put into the Chelsea box right onto the head of Calvert-Lewin.

The English striker, who has managed 12 goals in all competitions this year, could not steer his header past the reaching grasp of Sánchez and into the top corner.

The pressure kept coming at the Chelsea back line as the Leeds faithful urged their team forward.

Another chance fell to Ao Tanaka, Leeds’ top scorer in this year’s FA Cup, but his first-time volley rolled well wide of the near post.

Waves of attacks flooded the Chelsea back line in the closing half hour, but none managed to properly penetrate and create a clear opportunity.

Anton Stach unleashed another shot from range late on, but this one flew well over the bar and harmlessly away.

Chelsea March On

The full-time whistle came too early for Leeds, and Fernández’s goal secured Chelsea’s place in the final against Manchester City in May.

Another win for Calum McFarlane as his interim reign begins positively.

Can he snatch silverware for the struggling Blues?