Chelsea booked their place in the final of the FA Cup after recording a 1-0 victory over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Blues thought they had opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Hakim Ziyech guided the ball into the back of the net after receiving a cross from Time Werner, but the German was flagged for offside in the buildup to the goal.
Man City had a chance of their own six minutes later but Gabriel Jesus curled his effort straight into the hands of Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Ben Chilwell should’ve handed Chelsea the lead in the 19th minute but got his connection on the ball all wrong after receiving a perfectly weighed cross from Recce James, only to send his effort just wide of goal.
The Blues came close to breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute after Mason Mount’s delivery was not cleared as Chilwell laid the ball back to James to strike, but his effort veered a couple of yards wide.
City came alive in the closing stages of the first half but were unable to bury their chances as the game went into the half-time break.
Pep Guardiola was forced into making a substitution two minutes into the second half as Phil Foden came on to replace the injured Kevin De Bruyne.
Man City had a great chance to take the lead in the 51st minute but Raheem Sterling saw his effort smothered by the alert Kepa.
Chelsea eventually took the lead four minutes later when Werner played a cross into the path of Ziyech, who slotted the ball home, in what was almost a carbon copy of their disallowed goal in the first half.
Ziyech had a chance to double his side’s lead in the 59th minute but Zack Steffen rushed off his line to deny the attacker from inside the box.
Guardiola’s side should’ve levelled matters in the 69th minute when Foden delivered a ball deep, headed back into the danger zone by Rodri but Ruben Dias lifted his close-range effort over the bar.
Werner nearly made it 2-0 to Chelsea in the 77th minute when he made a solo run down the field with only Steffen to beat but the City keeper gobbled his tame shot.
Foden then found Rodri inside as he got momentarily away from Kante before unleashing a shot at goal, but his effort from distance sailed right into the safe hands of Kepa.
Christian Pulisic thought he had put the game beyond City deep in stoppage time when he ran across the edge of the penalty box before curling his effort past Steffen, but his goal was flagged for offside.
Chelsea managed to hold on to a late onslaught from City to maintain their lead until the final whistle to secure their place in the final of the competition.
