The 2020/21 FA Cup semi-final line-up is complete, with Chelsea, Manchester City, Southampton, and Leicester City set to go head-to-head for the ultimate prize. Manchester United, in turn, won’t be a part of the competition any further after crashing out at the quarter-final stage.
Manchester United’s poor run in the cup competitions continued as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team got eliminated out of the FA Cup following a loss against Leicester City. The Foxes came out 3-1 winners on the night, with an in-form Kelechi Iheanacho netting a brace.
Iheanacho opened the scoring for Brendan Rodgers’ side after latching on to a poor back-pass from Fred. The Nigerian forward then comfortably rounded goalkeeper Dean Henderson before tapping the ball into an empty net. Nonetheless, United pulled level shortly after, with youngster Mason Greenwood striking a Paul Pogba cross into Kasper Schmeichel’s goal.
Leicester retook the lead in the second half, courtesy of a goal from Youri Tielemans. The Belgian received the ball close to the half-way line, drove past several red shirts unchallenged, and then found the bottom corner with a good strike. The Foxes sealed the win thanks to Iheanacho’s second of the night, after the forward headed in at the back-post despite Henderson’s best efforts to keep the ball out.
Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea continued their impressive run under their new manager earlier, when they beat Sheffield United via two unanswered goals. The Blues are now unbeaten in fourteen under the German tactician and have only conceded two goals.
Tuchel named a much-changed starting eleven, featuring Kepa Arrizabalaga, Emerson, and Billy Gilmour. Christian Pulisic returned to the side, as did Olivier Giroud in attack, while Mason Mount was named the captain.
The Blues opened the scoring on the night via an own goal. Ben Chilwell’s well-struck shot deflected Oliver Norwood in the Sheffield United box and beat a hapless Aaron Ramsdale in goal. However, the Blades’ custodian saved his side from going two down in the first half when he rushed out to stifle Pulisic, who was through on goal.
Sheffield did create chances of their own but were let down by poor finishing. David McGoldrick was guilty of missing his side’s best opportunity of the match when he somehow managed to head the ball wide from inside the box. Former Chelsea academy player Rhian Brewster tried his luck too, but his shot hit the side-netting with Arrizabalaga firmly planted on the spot.
Chelsea took advantage of the Blades’ poor finishing and sealed off the tie in stoppage time. Hakim Ziyech, who scored his side’s opener against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, second leg, came on as a substitute before scoring his second crucial goal this week.
Tuchel was upbeat about his side’s performance, despite losing control of the tie in the second half.
The target this week was to go to the quarter-final [in the Champions League] and to Wembley, and the team achieved both targets so a big well done to them,
he told the Chelsea website.
Leicester and Chelsea advance to the FA Cup semi-finals, where they will face fellow Premier League outfits, Southampton and Manchester City, respectively. The Saints booked their place in the last four on Saturday, beating Bournemouth 3-0, thanks to a Nathan Redmond brace. Meanwhile, Manchester City defeated Everton to reach yet another semi-finals, with Ilkay Gudogan and Kevin De Bruyne scoring the goals.
The all-Premier League ties will be held in the third week of April at Wembley, with the victors advancing to the Final on May 15.
