An extraordinary slalom from Olivier Giroud and a header from the substitute Alvaro Morata put Chelsea into another FA Cup final
LONDON, KOMPAS.com - Chelsea melangkah ke final Piala FA dan akan menantang Manchester United seusai menyisihkan Southampton pada laga semifinal, Minggu (22/4/2018).
Chelsea menang tipis 2-0 atas Southampton berkat gol Olivier Giroud (menit ke-46) dan Alvaro Morata (82') pada laga semifinal di Stadion Wembley.
Hasil ini mengantarkan Chelsea ke partai puncak Piala FA. Klub berjulukan The Blues itu akan menantang Manchester United pada laga final di Stadion Wembley, 19 Mei 2018.
(Baca juga: Ungkapan Jujur Eden Hazard Terkait Performa Buruk Chelsea)
22 - Olivier Giroud has had a hand in 22 goals in his 26 FA Cup appearances (15 goals, 7 assists), more than any other player in the competition since his debut in January 2013. Dancing. pic.twitter.com/CiB4xUSZLZ
Chelsea turned to an FA Cup specialist to earn their place in this season’s final with Olivier Giroud scoring a quite wonderful goal to break the deadlock against Southampton. It was good feet for a big man, as the cliché goes.
This result sets up an FA Cup on May 19 against Manchester United; a collision course for Antonio Conte, in what is expected to be his last match as Chelsea head coach, against Jose Mourinho.
Southampton will feel aggrieved that they were denied what would have been an equaliser, before Chelsea’s second goal, after goalkeeper Willy Caballero carried the ball over the line under pressure from Charlie Austin who was penalised.
It will be in Conte’s mind to again select Giroud for that game given the striker’s record of winning three FA Cups at Arsenal and, now, being undefeated in 10 appearances at Wembley.
Giroud has not lost in four FA Cup semi-finals, three finals and three Community Shields at this stadium and scored just 28 seconds into the second-half with a brilliant effort that will, in fact, go down as one of the best goals ever scored in this arena.
From the re-start Cesc Fabregas lofted the ball forward and it was acrobatically taken down by Eden Hazard who picked out Giroud as he stumbled. The £18million January signing, selected ahead of Alvaro Morata showed great balance and nimbleness to first beat Mario Lemina, as he lunged in, then Maya Yoshida, then Cedric Soares before finally poking his shot into the net as Jan Bednarek also tried to block. The defender collided with goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. Shades of Ricky Villa for Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester City back in the 80s with the penalty box chaos Giroud caused.
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