Enzo Fernández scored the decisive goal as Chelsea defeated Leeds United 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, setting up a final showdown with Manchester City. The victory came just days after the sacking of head coach Liam Rosenior, with interim manager Calum McFarlane guiding the team to their first FA Cup final since 2018.
Fernández, who had been dropped for two matches by Rosenior after expressing interest in a move to Real Madrid, headed home the only goal in the 23rd minute. Pedro Neto delivered a perfect cross after capitalising on a defensive error by Pascal Struijk. It was Chelsea's first goal since their 7-0 win over Port Vale in the previous round on 4 April, ending a run of four consecutive defeats without scoring under Rosenior.
Leeds, backed by a large contingent of fans hoping to avenge their 1970 final defeat to Chelsea, started brightly. Brenden Aaronson had an early chance saved by Robert Sánchez, who produced a string of fine stops throughout the match. The Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri was also tested, with João Pedro hitting the near post early on.
After the break, Leeds pushed for an equaliser. Substitute Anton Stach saw a fierce drive tipped over by Sánchez, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin was also denied. Despite their efforts, Leeds failed to score at Wembley for the fourth consecutive visit, with Eric Cantona's goal in the 1992 Community Shield remaining their most recent strike at the stadium.
McFarlane, who was coaching in non-league football eight years ago, became the first English manager since Frank Lampard to reach an FA Cup final. 'Maybe at the end of the season reality will hit,' he said. 'But there's so much that's coming thick and fast that you don't even have time to take it in.' Chelsea will face treble-chasing Manchester City in the final next month.
