Chelsea reached their second successive FA Cup final following a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount after half-time gave Chelsea the deserved victory, having failed to make much of an impression on Palace defence in the first-half.
However, it was Mateo Kovacic’s replacement, Loftus-Cheek who clattered home a fine finish after the hour to break the deadlock, before Mount slotted home to set up a final showdown with quadruple-chasing Liverpool.
Kovacic had hobbled off the pitch with a twisted ankle barely 20 minutes into the crucial London clash, leaving Thomas Tuchel with none other option than to make swift changes in the midfield.
Palace went the closest of the two teams before the break, with Edouard Mendy getting down superbly to keep out a Cheikhou Kouyate’s strike.
The Senegalese defender missed out again after the hour when he miscued a header from Eberechi Eze’s corner.
However, Chelsea capitalized on the Eagles’ missed chances as Kai Havertz got into a threatening position down the right-hand side of the Palace box, sending home a deflected pass which into the top corner by Loftus Cheek.
The Blues then doubled their lead in the 75th minute when Timo Werner laid a pass to Mount, who smoothly touched the ball away from Joachim Andersen and slotted beyond Jack Butland.
Chelsea will now face Liverpool in an epic FA Cup final next month. The Reds bettered Man City 3-2 on Saturday to make it to the final for the first time in 10 years.
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