Chelsea eased past Middlesbrough on Saturday to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals. A comfortable 2-0 sixth-round victory provided a more than satisfactory conclusion to a difficult week, where the Blues’ future ownership and current operational difficulties attracted far more attention than their efforts on the pitch.
Romelu Lukaku’s 15th-minute strike and delicious second from Hakim Ziyech had the tie wrapped up long before half-time as Thomas Tuchel’s men progressed with the minimum of fuss in pursuit of their ninth taste of glory in club football’s oldest competition. "Super happy because we were very focused and there was a lot of effort against the ball," Tuchel said after the game.
"We didn't allow big chances and were very disciplined against the ball and we put in a huge effort. We defended as a team and attacked as a team. On the ball, we were calm and controlled the match. We managed to find the gaps to escape the high pressing line, to find the spaces, and to create fast attacks.
