Enzo Fernandez’s header saw Chelsea reach the 2025-26 FA Cup Final with a 1-0 semi-final win over Leeds at Wembley Stadium, London.
Fernandez nodded in his 23rd minute winner from Pedro Neto’s cross to send Chelsea through to a 17th FA Cup Final.
Chelsea will now meet Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday 16 May at 15:00pm BST in the final, after City came from behind to beat Southampton in the opening semi-final.
Chelsea came into this massive match off the back of Liam Rosenior’s sacking following a run of one win in eight plus goals in just one of their last seven matches in all competitions, which came in their Quarter-Final mauling of Port Vale in this competition on Easter Saturday.
The Blues however received an early scare after Moises Caicedo brought down Noah Okafor on a quick counter-attack, but Ao Tanaka curled Leeds’ subsequent fourth-minute free-kick over the bar owing to a three-minute delay caused by Trevoh Chalobah.
Fernandez soon afterwards began to turn the screws just two minutes later he smashed a shot straight into Leeds goalkeeper, Lucas Perri’s arms.
Robert Sanchez however spared Chelsea’s blushes in the 15th minute as his outstretched right foot deflected Brenden Aaronson’s shot, after the US international was slipped into the box by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Chelsea consequently found fresh confidence from Aaronson’s miss as Joao Pedro struck the post from Fernandez’s 21st-minute pass.
Fernandez however proved key to the breakthrough goal just two minutes later as Pascal Struijk was intercepted high up his own half, with the ball fed out to the right where Neto crossed in for the Argentine to nod in past Perri to put Chelsea in front.
Chelsea almost doubled their lead on the half-hour mark as Pedro attempted a half-volley on-the-turn shot towards the top right corner, yet his effort was comfortably saved by Perri as the Blues failed to extend their lead before half time.
Leeds made a double substitution at half time as Anton Stach and Joe Rodon replaced Jaka Bijol and James Justin respectively, which sparked them immediately into life seconds into the second half as Stach forced Sanchez to made a right-handed punch to tip his shot over the bar.
Chelsea however nearly doubled their lead from a 48th-minute cutback by Malo Gusto which Fernandez flicked onto Pedro, yet the forward scruffed his shot wide via a deflection.
Leeds nevertheless continued to push for an equaliser as Calvert-Lewin’s 58th-minute header was saved by Sanchez, whilst Tanaka fired wide seven minutes later from a poor headed clearance of a cross.
Chelsea ultimately survived Leeds’ pressure to book their spot in the FA Cup Final for the first time since they lost on penalties to Liverpool in the 2022 showpiece match, having played out a 0-0 draw on that occasion.
What’s Next?
Chelsea return their focus to qualifying for Europe via the Premier League path on Bank Holiday Monday 4 May, as they host Nottingham Forest in a 15:00pm BST kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
Leeds meanwhile look to move closer towards top-flight survival against relegated Burnley at Elland Road on Friday 1 May at 20:00pm BST.
Teams
Chelsea: Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia (Santos 66′), Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Alejandro Garnacho (Palmer 71′), Joao Pedro (Delap 98′)
Substitutes: Josh Acheampong, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Jesse Derry, Wesley Fofana, Jorell Hato, Andrey Santos, Cole Palmer, Teddy Sharman-Lowe
Leeds: Lucas Perri, James Justin (Rodon 46′), Jaka Bijol (Stach 46′), Pascal Struijk, Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka (Nmecha 74′), Gabriel Gudmundsson, Brenden Aaronson (Longstaff 86′), Noah Okafor (Gnonto 74′), Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Substitutes: Sebastiaan Bornauw, Karl Darlow, Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James, Sean Longstaff, Lukas Nmecha, Joel Piroe, Joe Rodon, Anton Stach
Referee – Jarred Gillett
Attendance – 82,542
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