LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea reached their third straight FA Cup final with a hard-earned 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on Sunday to set up a showdown with quadruple-chasing Liverpool.
Second-half goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount fired Thomas Tuchel’s side to victory in the semifinal and secured a place in the May 14 showpiece match versus Liverpool, who beat Manchester City 3-2 on Saturday.
In their fifth FA Cup final appearance in six years, Chelsea will look to make amends after being runners-up to Leicester City and Arsenal in the last two seasons and also try to avenge their League Cup final loss to Liverpool in February.
“I’m happy to be part of another FA Cup final,” Tuchel said. “It’s a huge competition. I’m very grateful and we’ll be ready.”
After an attritional first hour, a patient Chelsea side finally broke Palace’s stubborn resistance in the 65th minute through substitute Loftus-Cheek, who had replaced the injured Mateo Kovacic midway through the first half.
Kai Havertz’s cross from the right was deflected out to former Palace loanee Loftus-Cheek who hammered a ferocious shot that hit opposing defender Joachim Andersen and flew into the net for the 26-year-old’s first goal of the season.