CONTE IS EDEN FOR THE DOUBLE
Super sub Hazard seals FA Cup Final place for Blues as Antonio gets it right
EDEN HAZARD came off the bench to keep Chelsea on course for a Premier League andfa Cup Double last night.
Hazard was surprisingly left out of boss Antonio Conte’s starting line-up, as was striker Diego Costa, but he scored a brilliant 76th-minute goal.
Boss Conte said: “There is a moment, as a coach, you have to take a risk. I think our plan worked very well.” Hazard
WHEN it came to the crunch, Chelsea showed what it takes to be winners while Tottenham choked.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men didn’t just blow the chance to take Spurs into their first FA Cup Final for 26 years last night.
They also squandered the opportunity to stick down a marker for the remaining weeks of the Premier League season as they look to overhaul Chelsea in the race for the title and stay on course for a potential Double.
Antonio Conte even gave Spurs a helping hand, keeping Eden Hazard and Diego Costa on the bench for an hour with Tuesday’s visit of Southampton seemingly higher on his list of priorities.
Twice Spurs hauled themselves back into the contest, Harry Kane and Dele Alli striking brilliantly to cancel out two goals from Willian.
But just when it seemed Chelsea were there for the taking, Conte’s men climbed up off their knees to land two late killer blows.
When Hazard found the bottom corner of Hugo Lloris’ goal 15 minutes from the end, Tottenham had no answer.
And when Nemanja Matic hammered a fourth goal high past the Spurs keeper, five minutes later, the sight of thousands of Tottenham fans in the east end of Wembley, heading for the exits, said it all.
Once again, the Blues had Spurs’ number.
And it means the Double is still on for Conte in his first season at Stamford Bridge. The Premier League leaders began and finished in the ascendancy.
In between, they were a distant second best.
Twice Chelsea threatened to catch Spurs on the break inside the opening five minutes.
The second time, it took an ugly lunge from Toby Alderweireld to halt Pedro as he threatened to go clear.
Referee Martin Atkinson brandished a yellow card, but Willian exacted full retribution.
Lloris lined up his wall and then stood in a position that gave him no sight of the ball.
The Frenchman then took a decisive half-step to his right and Willian buried a shot into the opposite corner.
Tottenham seemed paralysed by nerves. But once Kane brought them level, in the 18th minute, they began to dominate.
Christian Eriksen’s in-swinging cross found Kane on his knees and facing away from goal.
He was still able to send a header skidding across Thibaut Courtois and into the far corner with a deft nod of his brow. Tottenham settled. But when Alli stood on David Luiz’s leg, only the Spurs midfielder knew if it was deliberate.
Eric Dier met Jan Vertongen’s cross with a glancing header that flew just wide.
And then Eriksen collected Cesar Azpilicueta’s poor pass but couldn’t get the elevation to beat Courtois from 25 yards.
But suddenly, against the run of play, Chelsea went ahead again two minutes before the break.
The lack of pace on N’golo Kante’s pass tempted Heungmin Son into thinking he could slide the ball away from Victor Moses.
But his challenge only succeeded in taking down the Chelsea wing-back and Atkinson pointed to the penalty spot on the advice of his assistant.
Michy Batshuayi wanted to take the kick, but Willian wrestled the ball away before sending Lloris the wrong way.
Tottenham felt harshly treated, but escaped moments later when the officials failed to spot Lloris handle the ball outside his area.
The tide turned again, seven minutes after the break, when Eriksen once again carved Chelsea open, sending a curling pass between Luiz and Azpilicueta that was so precise Alli didn’t even have to break stride as he swept a half-volley high past Courtois.
Tottenham now had Chelsea by the throat. Yet, with Hazard and Costa now on the pitch and Cesc Fabregas replacing Pedro with 16 minutes to go, the Blues took the lead again.
Fabregas’ right-wing corner was cleared by Walker, but only to Hazard lurking on the edge of the box.
And when the Belgian took a touch before ramming a low shot into the corner this time there was no way back for Pochettino’s men.
With 10 minutes to go, Hazard laid a pass back into the path of Matic and the midfielder unleashed a stunning left-foot drive that bounced past the static Lloris off the underside of the bar.
Matic said: “It was a nice goal. I am very happy for the team, that we’re going to play in the Final. Today was hard against a very good team. This gives us more confidence.”