Chelsea reaches FA Cup semis
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Chelsea moved into the English FA Cup semifinals as Oliver Norwood鈥檚 own goal and a late Hakim Ziyech strike sealed a 2-0 win over Sheffield United yesterday.
Thomas Tuchel鈥檚 much-changed side was below its best at Stamford Bridge, but Norwood鈥檚 first-half mistake put the Blues on course to win a hard-fought quarterfinal. Ziyech netted in stoppage time as Chelsea joined Manchester City and Southampton in the April semi-finals at Wembley.
Leicester City was hosting Manchester United in the last quarterfinal later.
The Blues are back in the FA Cup semifinals for a fourth time in the last five seasons after losing last year鈥檚 final against Arsenal.
Chelsea won the last of the club鈥檚 eight FA Cups under Antonio Conte in 2018.
Tuchel鈥檚 remarkable early impact since replacing the sacked Frank Lampard in January has turned Chelsea in a rock-solid defensive unit.
The German is now unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions, with Chelsea keeping 12 clean sheets in that period, including shutting out the opposition in their last seven matches.
Tuchel made nine changes after Chelsea鈥檚 UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg win against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Kepa Arrizabalaga started in goal, with Billy Gilmour, Olivier Giroud and Emerson among the others to come in.
All the switches left Chelsea struggling with rhythm in the early stages.
Despite the uncertain start, Chelsea took the lead in fortuitous fashion in the 24th minute.
Aaron Ramsdale couldn鈥檛 hold Callum Hudson-Odoi鈥檚 cross and Phil Jagielka scrambled it clear for a corner.
When the corner curled out to Ben Chilwell on the edge of the area, the Chelsea left-back hit a low shot that Norwood turned into his own net as he stretched in a failed attempt to block it.
The hapless Norwood almost gifted Chelsea a second goal when his woeful pass was pounced on by Christian Pulisic, who raced through on goal but couldn鈥檛 find the finishing touch as he stumbled before Ramsdale saved his chip.
After his exuberant exhortations and celebrations caught the eye during the win against Atletico, Chelsea鈥檚 injured defender Thiago Silva was back urging his team on from the stands. He wasn鈥檛 quite as boisterous this time, perhaps in a tacit acknowledgement that United posed little threat to Chelsea鈥檚 progress.
The moribund Blades are bottom of the English Premier League and look destined for relegation following the recent departure of boss Chris Wilder.
Pulisic should have put them out of their misery when he jinked past three defenders, only to shoot straight at Ramsdale and scuff the rebound over the bar.
Picked out by John Lundstram鈥檚 cross, David McGoldrick wasted a golden opportunity to equalize when the United forward sent his diving header wide from just four yards.
Olie McBurnie鈥檚 long-range drive was pushed away by Kepa before United substitute Rhian Brewster shot just wide.
But the late flourish wasn鈥檛 enough to force extra-time as Ziyech came off the bench to fire home from Chilwell鈥檚 pass.
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