Chelsea booked their place in the FA Cup final with a tense 1-0 win over Leeds United on Sunday, as Enzo Fernandez’s 23rd-minute strike proved enough to send the Blues to Wembley for a showdown with Manchester City on 16 May. The victory gave interim boss Calum McFarlane the perfect start just five days after Liam Rosenior was sacked following Chelsea’s fifth straight league defeat without scoring, their worst run since 1912.
Fernandez, captaining the side, drilled low past Illan Meslier after Leeds failed to clear, handing Chelsea a first FA Cup final appearance since 2022. Robert Sanchez produced key saves from Anton Stach and Dominic Calvert-Lewin as Leeds, unbeaten in seven coming into the semi-final, pushed hard in eight minutes of added time. Tempers flared late on with Pedro Neto, Jayden Bogle and Cole Palmer all booked.
The win extends Chelsea’s unbeaten FA Cup record against Leeds to nine games and keeps alive their hopes of a first trophy since 2012. Daniel Farke’s Leeds, in their first semi-final since 1987, bow out after missing the chance to reach a first final since 1973. Chelsea now face Manchester City, who beat Southampton 2-1 on Saturday.
