Antonio Conte masterminded a 4-2 win over rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. The Blues reached their first FA Cup final since 2012 as they approached the game cautiously tonight at the Wembley stadium. Spurs enjoyed the possession for the majority of the game but Chelsea took their chances well when it mattered the most.
Willian scored a first-half brace while Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic confirmed the win for Conte’s men. Here are the Chelsea player ratings in their breathtaking Wembley victory over the Lilywhites.
Thibaut Courtois (6/10): The Belgian had no answer for Kane’s opener but one can say that he could have done better for Alli’s second goal.
Nathan Ake (6.5/10): It was the youngster’s big chance to impress on the biggest of stages and he did that decently. He handled the threat of Kane well and intercepted many of Spurs’ attacks.
David Luiz (7/10): Played with an apparent ankle injury suffered in the first half but carried on to clear any danger that came his way.
Cesar Azpilicueta (6.5/10): Though he was the one who marshalled his troops in Cahill’s absence, he was at fault for Alli’s goal which dented his confidence.
Victor Moses (7/10): Handled the threat of Son brilliantly and won a smart penalty against the South Korean.
N’Golo Kanté (6.5/10): He contributed to a number of attacks while going forward but committed many fouls, something that we don’t usually associate with him.
Nemanja Matic (7.5/10): He was having a silent game till he scored a wonder goal which turned out to be the final nail in Spurs’ coffin. Surely his goal will go down as one of the best Chelsea goals at Wembley.
Marcos Alonso (5.5/10): Was terrorised by Eriksen throughout the game and also received an unnecessary booking early on.
Willian (8/10): Scored a memorable brace in the first half which set the tone for the remainder of the match. He was unluckily substituted for Hazard when Spurs came back into the game.
Pedro (6/10): Though his pace troubled the Spurs backline, it was his departure which brought some fluidity to Chelsea’s counter-attacking play.
Michy Batshuayi (5/10): The youngster failed in his first crucial start this season. He must do better to validate a future under the Italian manager.
Substitutions
Eden Hazard (8.5/10): He scored the important third goal for Chelsea when the momentum was completely in Spurs’ favour. It changed the tide of the game and Hazard’s introduction was the turning point for Chelsea.
Diego Costa (6.5/10): He ran in spaces and channels where he needed to and created enough space for Hazard to operate centrally.
Cesc Fabregas (8/10): His introduction brought a sense of calm in Chelsea’s play as the Spaniard helped dictate the play when in possession.
