April 27, 2026 | 10:24 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The interim coach of Chelsea, Calum McFarlane, expressed relief after leading his team to the FA Cup final. The Blues narrowly won 1-0 against Leeds United in the semifinal match at Wembley Stadium, London, on Sunday evening, 26 April 2026.
This victory was achieved just three days after McFarlane was appointed to replace Liam Rosenior, who was sacked after 106 days in charge. Enzo Fernandez scored the only goal in the first half. The Argentine midfielder headed in a cross from Pedro Neto in the 23rd minute to secure Chelsea's place in the final.
In the final, Chelsea will face the defending champions, Manchester City, on 16 May 2026. "Relieved is the right word. We were confident going into the game and had three good days of training, but you never really know the outcome," said McFarlane, as quoted from the club's official website.
He considered this victory important to boost the team's morale after a difficult period. Previously, Chelsea suffered seven defeats in eight matches under Rosenior. "We wanted to change the momentum. The performance hasn't been ideal, but the character of the players was evident. They showed a strong desire to win important matches for the club," he said.
Chelsea pressed from the start of the game. In the fifth minute, a quick counter-attack from a long pass by Robert Sanchez to Joao Pedro almost paid off, but his shot was saved by the Leeds goalkeeper.
Leeds responded in the 14th minute through Brenden Aaronson. However, his effort was thwarted by Snchez.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 23rd minute. Pedro Neto surged from the left side and delivered an accurate cross which was met by Enzo Fernandez's header. The ball flew into Leeds' goal, giving Chelsea a 1-0 lead. Chelsea almost doubled their advantage in the 35th minute, but Alejandro Garnacho's opportunity from a cross couldn't be maximized inside the penalty box.
Entering the second half, Leeds increased the pressure. Coach Daniel Farke made several changes by introducing Joe Rodon and Anton Stach to strengthen the gameplay.
Leeds continued to bombard Chelsea's defense. Opportunities from Noah Okafor were neutralized by the central defensive duo of Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo.
Snchez's performance under the bar also played a crucial role. He successfully secured Dominic Calvert-Lewin's header in the 58th minute.
Farke added attacking impetus by bringing in Wilfried Gnonto and Lukas Nmecha in the final 15 minutes. However, Chelsea's resolute defense prevented Leeds from equalizing until the final whistle.
McFarlane, who previously coached Chelsea's U-21 team, admitted that his brief experience as an interim coach in January helped him adapt. "I have been in this situation before, so I knew somewhat what to expect. This time it was easier because I have a relationship with the players," he said.
Facing Manchester City in the final, McFarlane acknowledged that his team is not the favorite. However, he believes Chelsea has the potential to perform at their best in a big game. "City is an outstanding team and is in their best form. This will be a big challenge," he said. "But we have shown that we can raise our level of play, especially in big matches. It's about character."
Lineups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Robert Snchez; Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella; Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia (Andrey Santos 66'); Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernndez, Alejandro Garnacho (Cole Palmer 71'); Joao Pedro (Liam Delap 90+8')
Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Lucas Perri; James Justin (Joe Rodon 46'), Jaka Bijol (Anton Stach 46'), Pascal Struijk; Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka (Lukas Nmecha 74'), Gabriel Gudmundsson; Brenden Aaronson (Sean Longstaff 86'), Noah Okafor (Wilfried Gnonto 74'); Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Read: FA Cup Semifinal Schedule: Chelsea vs Leeds, Man City vs Southampton
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