Goals from Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech fired Chelsea to a 2-0 away win at Middlesbrough to book a place in the 2021-22 FA Cup Semi-Finals.
Lukaku fired Chelsea ahead in the 15th minute as he poked in from Mason Mount’s low cross as the latter provided the first of two match-winning assists.
Mount again was involved in the second goal as he teed up Ziyech to curl calmly into the bottom left corner to wrap up victory, having controlled the match throughout despite failing to add further goals.
Middlesbrough struggled to create many chances in front of a sell-out home crowd at Riverside Stadium, as they were denied a first semi-final appearance in this competition since 2005-06 season.
A scrappy opening ten minutes saw neither team create clear-cut chances despite Chelsea going close in the third minute from Mason Mount’s low cross which evaded Lukaku and Christian Pulisic just yards from goal.
Mount however proved crucial to unlocking the deadlock in the 15th minute as he met Ziyech’s through ball up the right, which he proceeded to bend into the box for Lukaku to poke in from close range.
Thiago Silva then wasted a huge chance to double Chelsea’s lead just four minutes later as he headed down the ball from a corner, which bounced just wide of the bottom right corner.
Chelsea soon afterwards soaked up Boro’s hard press which saw them clear two free-kicks and corners whilst Jonny Howson rifled over the bar in the 30th minute.
Thomas Tuchel’s consequently broke away on the counter-attack a minute later with Mount finding Ziyech on the right, with the 29 year-old Moroccan calmly free to curl his shot across into the far left corner beyond Lumley’s reach to double the visitors’ lead.
Lukaku then missed two chances in two minutes to double Chelsea’s lead as he fired wide then saw his shot from Ziyech’s pullback pass cleared just before the goal line by Anfernee Dijksteel.
After half-time, Middlesbrough came out fighting as Florian Balogun fired over the bar just five minutes after the restart on the counter-attack.
Mount then missed a chance to finish off the tie in the 56th minute as he fired upon goal on the turn but his shot went wide via deflection, with the resulting corner cleared.
Substitute, Duncan Watmore fired over from 22 yards in the 68th minute as Middlesbrough began to again apply the pressure, with Isiah Jones’ low cross saved by Edouard Mendy just one minute later.
Chelsea eventually saw the game out as both teams struggled to create many chances in the closing stages, as the visitors went closest with Lukaku and Timo Werner both seeing 80th minute shots cleared via deflections in quick succession.
Werner then saw another shot two minutes later denied by Sol Bamba as Chelsea clung on to reach the semi-finals for a fifth time in the last six seasons, whilst managing to avoid facing a shot on target throughout this match.
Both Middlesbrough and Chelsea will now have two weeks off due to the international break before returning in league action, as Boro visit Peterborough in the Championship whilst Chelsea host Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday 2 April in 3pm kick-offs.
Teams
Middlesbrough: Joe Lumley, Anfernee Dijksteel, Paddy McNair (Peltier 53′), Dael Fry (Bamba 45′), Isiah Jones, Matt Crooks, Jonny Howson, Marcus Tavernier, Neil Taylor (Bola 58′), Florian Balogun (Coburn 74′), Aaron Connolly (Watmore 58′)
Substitutes: Grant Hall, Toyosi Olusanya, Lee Peltier, Duncan Watmore, Sol Bamba, Marc Bola, Luke Daniels, Josh Coburn, Caolan Boyd-Munce
Chelsea: Edouard Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Malang Sarr, Mateo Kovacic (Kante 69′), Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Hakim Ziyech (Kenedy 81′), Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic (Werner 68′), Romelu Lukaku (Vale 84′)
Substitutes: Marcos Alonso, N’Golo Kante, Timo Werner, Marcus Bettinelli, Trevoh Chalobah, Ross Barkley, Kenedy, Kai Havertz, Harvey Vale
Emirates Player of Match: Thiago Silva (Chelsea)
Attendance, 31,422
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