EFL Cup: Chelsea qualify for Wembley final
Chelsea 6 - 1 Middlesborough (Chelsea won 6-2 on aggregate)
Chelsea secured their spot in the Carabao Cup final with a 6-2 aggregate victory over Middlesbrough.
After a 1-0 defeat from the first leg, Chelsea turned the tide in this match with four first-half goals. The scoring spree included an own goal from Jonny Howson, along with goals from Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi, and Cole Palmer. Palmer netted his second.
Noni Madueke added another in the 81st minute, delighting the Chelsea supporters. The Wembley songs started and many of their fans will now be excited about a February afternoon in North London.
Morgan Rogers managed a consolation goal for Middlesbrough but Chelsea's victory was already well secured.
How did everything happen?
Mauricio Pochettino's team equalised the aggregate score in just 15 minutes, with Ben Chilwell's precise through ball setting up Raheem Sterling, whose pass was inadvertently turned into his own net by Howson. Chelsea took the lead for the first time with Enzo's well-placed finish.
Middlesbrough's defensive lapses contributed to Chelsea's dominance, with goals from Disasi and Palmer punishing mistakes by Matt Clarke and Dan Barlaser, respectively. Palmer, redeeming himself from missed opportunities in the first leg, scored a clinical fifth goal, followed by Madueke's deflected strike.
Despite Boro's efforts, Chelsea's ruthlessness and quality attacking play, reminiscent of the Premier League, were evident. Middlesbrough, hampered by injuries and missing key players, struggled to replicate their first leg heroics.
Chelsea, led by co-owner Todd Boehly since May 2022, showcased their attacking prowess, leaving behind a goalless outing at Riverside Stadium and securing a spot in their first major final under Boehly's ownership.
Boro fans are proud despite the thrashing
TheMightyBoro posted the following on the BBC match report of the match: "We had 14 players out injured and people cup-tied. Well done Boro fans for travelling and showing the world what we are all about. Fantastic noise all night."
NewsBall posted on Facebook: "Boro fans were in fine voice despite being thrashed by Chelsea last night. On the pitch, Middlesbrough gave it all but ran out of ideas after Chelsea kept giving them problems at the back. As for Chelsea it was a steady start but improved after the goals started going on. Despite this defeat, Michael Carrick will still be confident that they can get promoted to the Premier League."
Chelsea momentum building
You'd have to say that Chelsea have now put together a run of form, winning five of their past six games in all competitions. The one defeat in that period was the semi-final first-leg loss to Middlesbrough. There is some momentum building and Chelsea fans are very excited about what the end of season could bring.
Lewis, a Chelsea fan, told us: "The atmosphere among the crowd was filled with tension as the kick-off approached. Following a disappointing performance in Teeside two weeks ago, there was a collective disbelief that the team would deliver another lacklustre display and be eliminated from the competition by a Championship side dealing with injuries and player absences. However, it was a superb performance and we really proved our class on the night."
