Chelsea and Middlesbrough faced each other in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at Stamford Bridge....
Chelsea and Middlesbrough faced each other in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at Stamford Bridge. The first leg had ended in a surprising 1-0 win for the Championship side, who were hoping to pull off a historic upset and reach their first major final since 2004.
However, Chelsea had other plans and produced a stunning performance to thrash Middlesbrough 6-1 and book their place in the final against either Liverpool or Fulham.
The game started with Chelsea on the front foot, dominating possession and creating chances. Middlesbrough, who had defended well in the first leg, were unable to cope with the pace and movement of the hosts, who opened the scoring in the 15th minute. Jonny Howson, the hero of the first leg, turned from hero to villain as he diverted a cross from Mykhailo Mudryk into his own net. Chelsea doubled their lead in the 29th minute, when Enzo Fernandez, a summer signing from Real Madrid, curled a superb shot from the edge of the box into the top corner. Middlesbrough were shell-shocked and conceded a third goal in the 36th minute, when Axel Disasi, a centre-back, rose highest to head in a corner from Moises Caicedo. Chelsea were not done yet and added a fourth goal before half-time, when Cole Palmer, a loanee from Manchester City, finished off a slick counter-attack with a low shot past the keeper.
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick made two changes at the break, bringing on Anfernee Dijksteel and Rav Van den Berg for Marcus Forss and Nathan Wood. Chelsea also made a change, replacing Mudryk with Noni Madueke. The second half was more balanced, as Middlesbrough tried to salvage some pride and Chelsea eased off the gas. However, the visitors still struggled to create clear chances, while Chelsea remained dangerous on the break. Palmer scored his second goal of the night in the 77th minute, capitalizing on a mistake by Van den Berg and slotting the ball past the keeper. Madueke made it 6-0 in the 81st minute, after a neat one-two with Armando Broja. Middlesbrough finally got on the scoresheet in the 88th minute, when Morgan Rogers, a loanee from Manchester City, fired a powerful shot from outside the box that beat the keeper. The final whistle blew soon after, confirming Chelsea’s emphatic victory and Middlesbrough’s exit from the competition.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino praised his team’s performance and expressed his delight at reaching the final. He said: “I’m very happy with the way we played today. We showed our quality and our character. We respected our opponent, but we also played with confidence and intensity. We scored some beautiful goals and we could have scored more. I’m very proud of the players and I’m looking forward to the final.” Pochettino also thanked the fans for their support and said he hoped to give them a trophy in his first season at the club.
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick congratulated Chelsea and admitted his team were outclassed. He said: “We have to give credit to Chelsea. They were too good for us today. They have a lot of quality and experience and they showed it. We tried our best, but we made too many mistakes and we paid the price. We have to learn from this and move on. We have to focus on the league and try to get back to the Premier League.” Carrick also thanked the fans for their support and said he was proud of the team’s run in the competition.
Chelsea will face either Liverpool or Fulham in the final, which will be played at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024. Liverpool have a 2-1 advantage over Fulham from the first leg, which was played at Anfield. The second leg will be played at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Chelsea will be aiming to win their ninth Carabao Cup title, while Liverpool will be looking for their ninth as well. Fulham, who are currently in the Premier League relegation zone, will be hoping to cause a shock and win their first major trophy.
No comments