Monday 19 March 2012

FA Cup Quarter Final - Chelsea vs Leicester City Match Report



Chelsea 5-2 Leicester City


Meireles and Torres celebrating

Fernando Torres scored two goals as Chelsea beat Leicester City 5-2 at Stamford Bridge to advance to the FA cup semi-finals.

The first real goal scoring opportunity of the match came from Leicester City striker, Jermaine Beckford, who had a shot from the edge of the penalty area that curled wide of the right hand post.

The first goal came 11 minutes into the match from Cahill, after he headed Juan Mata’s corner into the back of the net from close range.

For his celebration, Cahill revealed a ‘Pray for Muamba’ shirt, showing support towards Bolton Wanderers midfielder, Fabrice Muamba, who tragically collapsed when his side played against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA cup yesterday.

Cahill showing his support for Muamba

Five minutes later, Salomon Kalou scored Chelsea’s second goal of the day from a Fernando Torres pass. Kalou slotted the ball into the bottom left corner from inside the box.

Leicester City’s Paul Gallagher had a shot from the edge of the box two minutes later, which went wide of the right hand post.

Leicester City continued to press towards opening their scoring tally, with opportunities by Neil Danns and Beckford coming close throughout the rest of the first half.

Chelsea weren’t without their chances either, as Torres and Daniel Sturridge had occasions where they could have increased Chelsea’s lead, only to be stopped by the hard working Leicester City defence.

After the start of the second half, Mata was substituted for Florent Malouda. He nearly made an instant impact on the game as he had a shot towards the bottom right corner of the goal, causing Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to make a save.

Chances came and went from both sides until finally Torres broke the dead lock in the second half and ended his goal drought by passing a ground cross by Raul Meireles into the bottom left corner of the net.

That goal was Torres’s first goal since October 2011, ending his goal drought that lasted 24 matches in all competitions.

However, on the 78 minute, Leicester City pulled one back through Beckford. After a poor through ball by Chelsea’s Michael Essien, Leicester City went on the counter attack which resulted in a Beckford goal from the rebound of Danns shot from outside the box that had hit the post.

Seven minutes after the Leicester City goal, Chelsea restored their three goal cushion thanks to a second goal by Torres.

Assisted by a Meireles corner, Torres managed to head the ball from the far left edge of the six yard box despite being marked by two players, into the far right corner of the goal.

Three minutes later, Leicester City midfielder Ben Marshall scored his first goal for Leicester City, one which could be a contender for goal of the season.

From around 30 yards out, Marshall smashed the ball into the top right corner of the net and out of reach of Petr Cech.

Meireles wrapped up the scoring with a goal in the 90 minute thanks to a Torres pass making the final score 5-2 to Chelsea.

Torres not being selfish and going for his hat-trick, decided to pass the ball across the box to Meireles who passed the ball into the bottom left corner of Schmeichel’s goal.

For their remaining games in the npower championship, Leicester City will focus on fighting for a place in the playoffs but it will be tough as they are eight points adrift of 6th place with only ten games remaining.

With this win, Chelsea advance to the FA cup semi-finals at Wembley, to play against either Tottenham Hotspur or Bolton Wanderers on the 14/15 April.


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