Chelsea vs Crystal Palace LIVE: FA Cup result, final score and reaction today
Relive all the action from the semi-final at Wembley
Ruben Loftus-Cheek capped his impressive comeback with a first Chelsea goal since May 2019 as the Blues defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 to reach their third successive FA Cup final.
Loftus-Cheek’s thunderbolt finish dragged the Blues out of a sluggish performance and into a 16th FA Cup final, with Mason Mount’s angled effort sealing the deal.
England midfielder Loftus-Cheek spent the 2017-18 season on loan with the Eagles, even forcing his way to the World Cup after his campaign at Selhurst Park.
But the 26-year-old showed no split loyalty in dumping his former side out of England’s premier cup competition.
Loftus-Cheek’s first Chelsea goal since the 1-1 Europa League draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on May 9, 2019 spurred the Blues on past their clear fatigue and into yet another final. Relive all the action below:
FT: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
Chelsea have lost three of their last four FA Cup finals. Defeats to Arsenal in 2017 and 2020 were followed up by a loss to Leicester last year.
However, they did get the better of Manchester United in the 2018 final.
Amazing to think they will be in their fifth FA Cup final in six seasons. Incredible consistency.
FT: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
And here is the second goal of the game from Mason Mount - a strike which ultimately put the game beyond Crystal Palace.
Chelsea will now place Liverpool in the FA Cup final on May 14. A repeat of the Carabao Cup final from earlier in the season.
FT: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
Here was the opener from Ruben Loftus-Cheek. A little deflection, but still a nice finish from the Chelsea midfielder.
FT: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
Full-time: That’s it. Chelsea are into their third successive FA Cup final thanks to goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount.
After a poor first half, Loftus-Cheek broke the deadlock midway through the second half after his venomous drive found its way past Jack Butland with the help of a slight deflection off Joachim Andersen.
And 11 minutes later they doubled their advantage as a silky move was finished off classily by Mount.
Palace had their own chances through Andersen and Cheikhou Kouyate, but ultimately the quality in the Chelsea team prevailed.
Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
90+2 mins: There were three minutes of stoppage time added, by the way.
Rudiger finds himself in the box and tries an effort which is blocked for another Chelsea corner.
Into the final 60 seconds we go.
Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
90+1 mins: SHOULD BE THREE!
Werner scampers down the left again and pulls it across for Lukaku who somehow hits the post from four yards out! Ziyech then follows up but Guehi gets his body in the way to block on the line.
How did Lukaku not score there?! Incredible.
Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
90 mins: Werner is in down the left again and he crosses for Lukaku who has failed to take up a position in the middle.
Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
89 mins: Chelsea professionally seeing the game out now. It was an even contest until the hour mark when Tuchel’s side began to go through the gears and pinched their two goals.
Not been a classic by any means.
Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
87 mins: Milivojevic’s first action is to clip a wayward pass beyond Olise and Ward. Not the best start for a sub.
Werner breaks for Chelsea but he doesn’t get the ball out of his feet quickly enough to feed Lukaku and Palace sweep up.
Hakim Ziyech - on for Mason Mount - was fuming about that.
Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
85 mins: Kouyate has been replaced by Luka Milivojevic. He is going to have to produce something very special to turn this one around now.
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