Chelsea are into the Carabao Cup semifinals after a 3-1 away win over Cardiff in a game that only felt like a knockout tie in the second half. The spot in the next round came thanks to the impact of players who started on the bench, especially Alejandro Garnacho, who scored twice after coming on at halftime. Until then, the London side struggled and saw the opposition clearly on top in the first half, even without creating clear chances.
The opening 45 minutes offered little excitement. Cardiff had the best attacking moves, but none that forced decisive saves from goalkeeper Jorgensen, who handled things well when called upon. Chelsea, meanwhile, found it hard to create and barely threatened. There were more bookings than shots on target, and the 0-0 score at the break accurately reflected what played out on the field.
Garnacho comes off the bench and changes the game
The match shifted after halftime following the changes made by Enzo Maresca, who had already rotated all 11 starters. Garnacho and João Pedro came on, and Chelsea began to generate more chances. The opening goal came when Buonanotte intercepted a pass from the back and fed Garnacho, who finished to score. During the celebration, the forward sat on the advertising board next to Buonanotte as Chelsea supporters celebrated.
Garnacho spoke about the moment. "It was great to celebrate with the fans. It’s funny because every time I celebrate, one of my teammates joins in, and it’s really funny." Cardiff’s equalizer came soon after, with Ng crossing for Turnbull to head home and make it 1-1.
Chelsea’s response once again came from players who started on the bench. Pedro Neto scored the winner after a move built by João Pedro and Andrey Santos. In stoppage time, Garnacho added his second goal, once again assisted by João Pedro, to seal the 3-1 result.
A win appreciated and a message of full focus
Garnacho highlighted how difficult the matchup was and the level of focus required. "Sometimes you play this kind of game thinking it will be easier than Premier League matches, but it’s not like that." The forward also pointed to the opponent’s mindset. "These teams don’t know when they’ll face a club like Chelsea again, so it’s like a final for them. They did a great job."
He also explained the instructions he received from the coach. "Enzo (Maresca) simply told me, ‘Play your game and try to help your team.’ And that’s what I did." Pleased with his individual performance, he reinforced the collective goal. "When you play for Chelsea, you have to fight in every competition, and this is another one. We’ll try to get to Wembley and the final, and win another trophy for the club."