Chelsea cruise to FA Cup final
Loftus-cheek and Mount score as Blues beat Crystal Palace in semi-final to set up a clash with Liverpool
LONDON: Chelsea will face quadruple chasers Liverpool in the FA Cup final after secondhalf goals from Ruben Loftuscheek and Mason Mount sealed a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Thomas Tuchel’s side broke Palace’s stubborn resistance in the semi-final at Wembley as Loftus-cheek’s ferocious strike put them on course for a third successive FA Cup final appearance.
Mount put the result beyond doubt with a fine finish of his own, ensuring Chelsea of a date with Liverpool in the final at Wembley on May 14.
It will be Chelsea’s fifth FA Cup final in the last six years as they look to make amends for losing in the showpiece against Arsenal and Leicester in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
In their 16th FA Cup final, Chelsea will aim to win the competition for the ninth time and first since 2018.
It was a welcome tonic after Tuesday’s painful Champions League quarter-final exit at Real Madrid, where the Blues scored three times to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit only to go out after extra time.
Tuchel has won the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup in his reign, but he is yet to lead Chelsea to a domestic trophy.
With three consortiums in the running to buy Chelsea following the British government’s sanctions on Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich after the invasion of Ukraine, the Blues could have a new owner by the time they return to Wembley.
Beating Palace keeps them in contention to end a troubled season with silverware, although Liverpool, who beat Premier League leaders Manchester City 3-2 in Saturday’s semi-final, will provide far tougher opposition.