Pedro was the extra-time hero as Chelsea booked their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this evening.
The visitors took the lead just before the break when Willian released Alvaro Morata to end his 13-game barren run with a curling finish beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
Jamie Vardy missed a golden headed opportunity for Leicester but made amends by slamming the ball home from close range after a goalmouth scramble on 76 minutes.
The 1-1 score after 90 minutes forced the tie into extra time, where substitute Pedro was the match-winner as he headed home after Schmeichel had missed his punch.
Relive how the drama unfolded in the East Midlands with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Tottenham, Manchester United, Southampton and...? We are a couple of hours away from finding out who will complete tonight's FA Cup semi-final draw as Leicester City host Chelsea in the pick of the quarter-final ties at the King Power Stadium. Team news coming up shortly...
LEICESTER: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell; Ndidi, Iborra, Mahrez, Albrighton; Iheanacho, Vardy
Subs: Hamer, Fuchs, Dragovic, Silva, Gray, Okazaki, Diabate
Subs: Hamer, Fuchs, Dragovic, Silva, Gray, Okazaki, Diabate
CHELSEA: Caballero; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Morata, Hazard
Subs: Eduardo, Cahill, Zappacosta, Emerson, Fabregas, Pedro, Giroud
Subs: Eduardo, Cahill, Zappacosta, Emerson, Fabregas, Pedro, Giroud
Antonio Conte makes three changes from the team that was Messied at the Camp Nou on Wednesday, most significantly in goal where Willy Caballero replaces Thibaut Courtous. The Belgian played in the FA Cup quarter-finals onwards last season, but stand-in Caballero has kept his place and deservedly so having only conceded one goal in four matches en route to this stage.
Elsewhere, Alvaro Morata is preferred to Olivier Giroud up front, hoping to end his miserable 13-game goalless streak which stretches back to December. Giroud did not play for Arsenal in this competition earlier this season so is available off the bench.
Tiemoue Bakayoko makes his first start since being sent off against Watford on February 5th, and his selection ahead of Cesc Fabregas alongside Leicester's 2015-16 title hero N'Golo Kante in midfield is a mark of Conte's respect of Leicester.
Things might not have been going too well for Chelsea of late but the attacking-midfield duo of Eden Hazard and Willian are capable of carrying them through this spell. The Brazilian has five goals in his last six matches, including two in the last round against Hull City.
Leicester are at full strength, and it is refreshing to see that a team outside of the Premier League's top six are showing the ambition to win the FA Cup. Riyad Mahrez has rediscovered his form immediately after his deadline-day strop, and Jamie Vardy has five goals in his last seven matches.
Kelechi Iheanacho has already scored four goals in this season's competition and is given the nod ahead of Shinji Okazai as Vardy's strike partner. The two-pronged forward line also means that there is no room for Demarai Gray who drops out of the team which beat West Brom 4-1.
Daniel Amartey is still unavailable for the Foxes as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem, so Danny Simpson starts at right-back, while the youth of Ben Chilwell continues to be favoured ahead of experienced Christian Fuchs on the opposite side of the defence.
After two months out of the team because of a combination of fitness and form, Wes Morgan has regained his spot in the heart of Leicester's defence from Aleksander Dragovic. Morgan and Kasper Schmeichel are the only survivors from the 2012 quarter-final when Leicester lost 5-2 to Chelsea.
The Championship encounter between Derby County and Cardiff City today was called off because of the snow, so fair play to the groundstaff at Leicester for getting this game on today. It is just up the road from Pride Park Stadium so the conditions may not have looked too rosy this morning.
As you can see, there is still a need for the fans to wrap up warm on this bitter March day. March, it is. Somebody might want to remind the weather gods of that please!
🔵⚪️
More ahead of #LeiChe 👉 https://t.co/qkL5o4jjJL pic.twitter.com/rn1ApprND1 — Leicester City (@LCFC) March 18, 2018
This freezing cold weather will be a long way away from what Leicester experienced on their training camp this week as Claude Puel took his boys to Marbella. Chelsea of course were also in Spain in midweek, as they were dumped out of the Champions League by Barcelona.
Following their European exit, the FA Cup represents Chelsea's last chance of winning a major trophy this season. With a top-four place five points out of their reach, it could be the only thing which saves Conte his job at Stamford Bridge too, that is, if he wants to keep it.
Chelsea were beaten finalists in Conte's debut season in charge as Arsenal denied them a league-and-cup double last term. That was the first time that they made the final since 2012, which was the last in a sequence of four FA Cup triumphs in six years.
The Foxes have never actually lifted this famous trophy, making them the only Premier League winner never to do so. They have been runners-up four times, but not since 1969, last reached a semi-final in 1982 after a 5-2 victory over Shrewsbury Town at Filbert Street in the last eight.
Leicester have lost all three of their FA Cup quarter-finals since the turn of the century, at home to Wycombe in 2001 and away to Blackburn in 2005 as well as their last FA Cup meeting with Chelsea.
Their form at the King Power Stadium makes Leicester a formidable opponent for Chelsea today. They are unbeaten at home in 2018 and have only been beaten twice on their own patch since Claude Puel's appointment in October - against Manchester City and Crystal Palace.
However, they were beaten when Conte's side visited the East Midlands earlier this season, as goals from Morata and Kante earned Chelsea a 2-1 win for their third straight victory at Leicester.
Chelsea are going through their worst away run since 2000, having lost their last five in all competitions. They have registered just one away win in three months - 4-0 at Brighton in January.
One player who has not been affect by that form is Willian, who has outperformed Hazard in recent weeks with a string of fine performances. The 29-year-old has been involved in 17 goals in his last 19 starts for Chelsea, scoring 12 goals and assisting five.
Chelsea have an FA Cup specialist up their sleeve should they need him. Giroud has hand a hand in 21 goals in this competition since his debut in 2013 - more than any other player in that period.
Giroud was preferred to Morata in Barcelona on Wednesday which is indicative of the Spaniard's barren run. He appeared to be a brilliant signing at the start of the season but might be suffering from the expectations and demands of being a first-choice striker after playing deputy at Real Madrid and Juventus.
Kante returns to his former club today and will come toe-to-toe with his successor Wilfried Ndidi.
Okay, let's do this! Ndidi v Kante in the Premier League after 30 matches (stats per 90 mins):
* Tackles - 4.2 v 3.4
* Interceptions - 1.4 v 2.0
* Clearances - 2.9 v 0.8
* Passes blocked - 1.8 v 1.5
* Aerial challenges won - 3.6 v 0.5
* Passes - 51.0 v 64.1#LEICHE #lcfc pic.twitter.com/pKRvGv6fkI — Andy Bisnos (@AndyBisnosLCFC) March 16, 2018
HEAD TO HEAD: Chelsea have won 12 of their last 15 matches against Leicester in all competitions, losing just once which was famously the last match of Mourinho's second spell in charge.
The last three times the clubs have met in the FA Cup - 1997, 2000 and 2012 - Chelsea have gone on to win the FA Cup. The Foxes have never beaten the Blues in seven attempts in this competition.
Just over five minutes until kickoff at the King Power, and a reminder that the result must be decided today. As of last season, there are no replays from this stage of the FA Cup onwards, so extra time and penalties will settle this quarter-final if required this afternoon.
Kelechi Iheanacho will go down in history as the first player to ever score a goal thanks to the application of VAR. The video technology is in use again today should referee Craig Pawson need it.
PREDICTION: I think this has the makings of a brilliant cup tie. The expectation is on Chelsea, but Leicester will fancy their chances considering their home form and the recent struggles of Conte's men. I fancy the Foxes might just pinch this 2-1 to reach their first semi-final in 35 years.
KICKOFF: The action is underway and there is not a drop of snow in sight on the playing surface. Bravo to the groundstaff, I say. Chelsea are in their changed all-black strip.
CLOSE! An early half-chance falls the way of Albrighton, who wraps his foot around a cross from Simpson and keeps his volley down, but cannot direct it inside the post.
Moses is in space in the right channel, with Chilwell having been dragged inside, but Willian overhits his chipped pass and Schmeichel comes off his line to usher the ball safely behind.
Very sloppy from Morata as a promising Chelsea break is halted by him drifting offside while looking directly across the line. Alonso had made a 60-yard run into the box so will be annoyed.
Willian carries the ball forward from the halfway line and ignores Moses on the overlap before running into trouble. Chilwell gets a tackle in and eventually wins a free kick to relieve the danger.
Azpilicueta inadvertently flicks an Albrighton corner on at the near post, into a perfect area for a back-post tap in. Morgan gets his head on it but it take a nick of Rudiger and goes wide.
Chilwell loses the ball to Moses while trying to dribble out of his own penalty area. Ndidi comes across and Moses runs into him and throws himself to ground in an attempt to con referee Pawson into giving a penalty. The Leicester midfielder simply stood tall and was not at fault at all.
The hosts have an opportunity to spring on Chelsea four-on-four, which comes to nothing as Iheanacho picks the wrong pass, trying to release Vardy through the middle rather than Chilwell to his left.
Moses is proving to be a useful outlet for Chelsea in the early stages, when he can stay on his feet that is. The Nigera international skips by two challenges and goes to floor under the third, but again referee Pawson sees right through him. He is perhaps lucky not to get a yellow card for diving.
Vardy is released down the left channel and squares up Azpilicueta, but he rushes his cross with only Mahrez in support, and it deflects off the Spaniard and kindly into Cabellero's gloves.
SAVE! Good awareness from Simpson to chest a Chelsea clearance into the path of Ndidi, who unleashes a left-footed drive which Caballero saves diving low to his right.
Chelsea are enjoying a decent period with the ball now but that won't bother Leicester, who are often at their most dangerous when the opposition push up and they can hit them on the break.
Some defending to do now for Moses, and he does it well to slide in on Albrighton before he could deliver one of his wicked crosses from the left byline. Conte's reinvention of the former Crystal Palace youngster, from a winger to a wing-back, has proven to be a stroke of genius.
YELLOW! The first booking of this quarter-final is shown to Maguire for charging into the back of Morata. There was not much to the tackle but Pawson may have been punishing Leicester as a team as Morgan has also gone in hard on the Spaniard a couple of times.
SHOT! Chance for Morata as Alonso picks him out with a brilliant cutback to the edge of the box. The striker brings it under control well enough but strikes straight at Schmeichel down the centre of the Leicester goal. That was an effort of a player lacking confidence.
Morata has another sniff of goal but this is a harder opportunity as Willian's cross is behind him. It was a good run to the near post, but the only leverage that the Spaniard can get on the header takes it high and over Schmeichel's goal.
A poor first touch prevents Vardy from getting the ball down and switching it to Mahrez on the counter-attack. That could have been a decent opening for Leicester otherwise.
CLOSE! Morata uses his body really well to spin Maguire in the box, but there is nobody to cross to and the angle is against him as he tries to scoop the ball over Schmeichel and inside the far post.
The Foxes seem to have targetted Bakayoko as a weak link to press in the Chelsea midfield. They know better than to do it against Kante, but his midfield partner is not so composed on the ball and might be a bit low on confidence after a period of poor form prior to his recent injury.
The race is on between Vardy and Caballero as Chilwell knocks the ball down the left channel. The Chelsea goalkeeper gets to the ball first, with the pass slightly overhit, and it was important that he got that right because he had wandered 30 yards or so off the comfort of his line.
A clever reverse pass from Mahrez sets up Simpson for a cross which Azpilicueta clears. The final ball from Leicester so far has been pretty poor. It hasn't fallen to Mahrez in the right areas.
GOAL! LEICESTER 0-1 CHELSEA (ALVARO MORATA)
Morata picks the perfect time to end his 13-game drought and give Chelsea the lead just before the break. Leicester get a taste of their own medicine as Willian hits them on the counter, skipping past three tackles and releasing Morata for a calm curling finish around Schmeichel from 15 yards.
That was fantastic play by Willian. Quite why he has spent so much time out of the Chelsea team this season I am not sure. Perhaps that explains why they are fifth in the Premier League.
YELLOW! Is everything a yellow card these days? Bakayoko is turned in the middle of the park and there is a little tug on Iheanacho's shirt, but it isn't worthy of a booking.
HALF TIME: LEICESTER 0-1 CHELSEA
It was six years ago to the day that Chelsea beat Leicester in an FA Cup quarter-final and we are halfway to a repeat thanks to Morata's 42nd-minute goal, brilliantly provided by Willian. Without creating a lot, the visitors did shade the first half by shackelling Leicester and probably deserve their lead.
The Foxes have not been able to get the Mahrez-Vardy combination going, and Iheanacho has not been effective as the link between midfield and attack. Puel may want to consider bringing on Demarai Gray and playing Mahrez more centrally to get him closer to Vardy.
Morata's goal the difference for @ChelseaFC but @LCFC still well in this 🙏 pic.twitter.com/5lKNVPYZDq — The Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 18, 2018
There have been a few boos for Kante from Leicester supporters in that first half, but the majority of the home fans must be looking longingly at the French midfielder as he has completely bossed that first half. His midfield partner Bakayoko on the other hand has really struggled.
Puel reached a cup final with Southampton in his debut season in English football, losing out in unfortunate circumstances to Man United in the EFL Cup final, and he has his work cut out to take Leicester to Wembley this season. The Foxes are a much more dangerous when they score the first goal.
SUBSTITUTION: Conte has made a half-time change by bringing on Fabregas for Bakayoko. That is a positive adjustment made with the intention of putting this game beyond Leicester quickly.
KICKOFF: Leicester are unchanged for the second half and have some early defending to do as Willian delivers a dipping cross which Simpson clears, although not too convincingly.
Half a chance for Mahrez as Caballero comes off his line and hacks the ball straight to the Algerian, who tried to steer a shot into the vacant net from 30 yards but got underneath the ball.
Albrighton has whipped in a couple of really good crosses since the restart, the second of which is just ahead of Iheanacho and Caballero does well to gather it smoothly on the bounce.
A late slide tackle from Iborra on Willian goes unpunished and the South American requires medical attention after being caught on the ankle. Conte will hope he can continue as he has been excellent again today.
CHANCE! A shake of the head from Vardy tells you he should have done better with that header as he skies it over the crossbar having been found unmarked by a great spot from Ndidi.
A really important interception from Maguire stops Morata from running onto a through-ball from Fabregas. Chelsea recycle possession but Hazard's shot is high and anything but handsome.
Leicester take a corner short and Mahrez and Iheanacho work the ball nicely to Albrighton, who fizzes a ball across the area which Caballero claims at the second attempt.
This time it is Schmeichel's turn to make a crucial interception as he stretches to push a Moses cross which was bound for Morata away from the goalscorer at the far post.
The game is starting to become stretched now with Leicester pushing for an equaliser and Chelsea trying to put the Foxes to bed. I'm not sure which team that suits as both have players who are capable of taking advantage of the spaces which are starting to appear.
Puel has yet to turn to his bench, where Gray, Okazaki, Adrien Silva and Diabate all wait in reserve. They are all potential game-changers and Iheanacho has been largely ineffectual as the second striker.
I don't understand playing a second-choice goalkeeper in a cup quarter-final but Caballero has justified his selection so far. Apart from one poor clearance, he has justified his selection by being commanding from crosses and making a couple of important interceptions.
SUBSTITUTION: Okazaki is the man whom Puel has entrusted to change the game and it is indeed Iheanacho who makes way. The Japanese forward has a more established relationship with Vardy and it was clear today that doesn't exist with Iheanacho yet.
Chilwell is furious not to be awarded a free kick on the left edge of the box as he squeezed between two Chelsea defenders. No VAR controversey yet today, although there is still time...
I'm not saying that Mahrez has been poor today but he has not been as involved as Leicester need him to be. The Algerian has pretty much stayed on that right wing all game and he would benefit from drifting around the pitch a bit more to try to shake the attentions of Alonso.
Iborra goes down clutching his head after catching an elbow in the face from Moses. There was not too much venom in the arm movement of the Chelsea man but again he is a little fortunate to escape without a yellow card, this the man who was sent off in last year's final.
GOAL! CHELSEA 1-1 LEICESTER (JAMIE VARDY)
An almightly goalmouth scramble ends with Vardy slamming the ball home from inside the six-yard box to draw Leicester level! Mahrez's cross causes havoc, with Vardy and Iborra seeing efforts blocked and Cabellero saving brilliantly from the latter before Vardy thrashes in the rebound.
Mahrez cuts inside and drops a cross just over the head of Okazaki and another delivery from the left is just in front of the substitute as he stretches his leg out at the back post.
WOODWORK! Chelsea put together the move of the match as Hazard and Fabregas combine down the right for the Spaniard to deliver into the area, where Morata meets the ball with a Cruyff flick which cannons against the crossbar. The offside flag is raised to the relieve of the striker.
Ndidi is guilty of hero-tinted vision as he shoots high and wide from 30 yards out with better options available.
SAVE! Brilliant play from Maguire as he brings the ball out and plays through Vardy, whose low shot is pushed away by Caballero and the striker nearly gets a second bite at it due to Rudiger's dallying.
With four minutes plus stoppage time remaining, Leicester appear the more likely to spare the freezing cold spectators extra time and potentially penalties. Remember there must be a winner today.
CHANCE! That was the chance for Morata to send Chelsea into the semi-finals, with Willian picking out his run between two defenders but there is no conviction to the finish as Schmeichel smothers.
YELLOW! Finally Moses enters the book for throwing an arm in Albrighton's face after losing out in a 50-50. The Leicester man requires attention to his bloody nose which will add to the injury time.
There will be three minutes of added time, as Schmeichel reacts quickly to come off his line and get to the ball before Morata, who was nearly released by a brilliant spot from Fabregas.
Willian's cross is headed clear by Simpson but both sides seem to have acknowledged extra time is inevitable.
FULL TIME: LEICESTER 1-1 CHELSEA We are going to extra time!
This has been an excellent cup tie and I for one am more than glad that we are going to get an extra 30 mintues. Fatigue will of course play a part but both managers have a couple of substitutions in reserve.
KICKOFF: Here we go then - extra time begins.
SUBSTITUTION: Conte wastes no time in introducing some fresh legs as Pedro replaces Willian, who has been Chelsea's best player again but has run himself into the ground for his team.
Referee Pawson stops the game to consult with Neil Swarbrick and the VAR technology after Fabregas accuses Vardy of elbowing him in the throat, but nothing comes from it. That referral did seem to be initiated by Fabregas and that is one of the problem that this system needs to overcome.
It has been a very scrappy start to extra time, and the more weight in the legs of the players the more likely that it is a mistake which decides this game. It could still yet be a moment of magic, as Hazard has been quiet for much of this match and will surely have his say before the whistle blows.
Something for Leicester to be wary of if they are thinking of settling for penalties - Caballero has saved five of his last eight in-game penalties. He was also the hero in the shootout against Norwich in the fourth round, and in the 2016 EFL Cup final as Manchester City beat Liverpool on spot kicks.
CHANCE! The first chance of extra time falls to Pedro who blazes over the crossbar from Hazard's layoff, 20 yards from goal. He certainly has the quality to trouble Schmeichel from there.
SUBSTITUTION: The hobbling Christiansen forces Conte into a third change, and he has the luxury of Gary Cahill's experience on the bench. I'm not sure if the defender has pulled a muscle or is simply struggling with cramp but he obviously couldn't continue either way.
GOAL! LEICESTER 1-2 CHELSEA (PEDRO)
Pedro might just have sent Chelsea into the last four of the FA Cup, as he climbs above Albrighton and Chilwell to steer a header from Kante's cross into a net which had been left vacant by Schmeichel. The Leicester goalkeeper had to get it once he came for it as he made it easy for the Spaniard.
SUBSTITUTION: Another new FA Cup rule is the bonus of a fourth substitute in extra time, and Chelsea have used that luxury here by bringing on Olivier Giroud for Morata.
HALF TIME: LEICESTER 1-2 CHELSEA
KICKOFF: Puel responds with a double substitution, introducing Silva and Diabate for Iborra and Simpson. Leicester have no choice to go for it now and those positive changes show that.
CLOSE! Another chaotic scramble in the Leicester box nearly produces a second equaliser. A set piece comes to Maguire at the back post and his cross is just behind Diabate, whose shot is blocked heroically by Cahill. Mahrez also sees a shot blocked before Leicester win a corner.
BLOCK! At the other end, Albrighton, now playing as a right-back, makes a last-ditch block to deny Kante whose shot from 12 yards out seemed to be flying past Schmeichel.
Chilwell's cross must be better as Silva feeds him down the left. Leicester have a corner from which Maguire could do little more than head behind from an impossible angle at the far stick.
Chelsea have a corner now but there is no intention to whip the ball into the box as they play the time-wasting game. You would expect nothing else from a team with an Italian coach!
SUBSTITUTION: Last throw of the dice from Puel as Gray comes on for Albrighton, who has been excellent but has run his race. Can Gray's pace and energy set up a spectacular finish?
Diabate looks the most likely to make something happen for Leicester but Moses is sticking to him closely.
The Foxes show remarkable composure and movement 119 minutes into this tie to move the ball around Chelsea and tee up a chance for Silva, but Azpilicueta makes a brave block.
One more minute for Chelsea to hang on, or for Leicester to snatch a penalty shootout.
FULL TIME: LEICESTER 1-2 CHELSEA)
The pick of the FA Cup quarter-final ties did not disappoint, and it is Chelsea who eventually emerged as victors courtesy of extra-time hero Pedro. Antonio Conte and his players have something to hang their season on, while Leicester go back to focussing on being the rest of the rest in the league.
I will leave you with our match report from the King Power Stadium, and news of the semi-final draw which pitted Chelsea against Southampton and Manchester United against Spurs. The Blues will be pretty pleased with that! Thanks for joining us this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
