Chelsea bounce back against Blackburn: Sports Gazette report live from Stamford Bridge
Full strength Chelsea bounced back to progress to the Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals, beating Blackburn Rovers 2-0 with goals from Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling.
Reece James and Enzo Fernandez returned to the Chelsea starting 11 as Mauricio Pochettino’s men kept the mid-table Championship side quiet throughout.
Chelsea and Blackburn in action at Stamford Bridge
After losing at home to Brentford on the weekend, the 11th placed Premier League side showed their pedigree to progress in a competition they have won five times previously.
James, who has not played over 45 minutes since Premier League matchday one, threatened early on using his pace to get in behind the Rovers defence, and was often found by fellow returner Fernandez.
Conor Gallagher’s perseverance led to the break-through, as his low driven shot was blocked forcing a save from Leopold Wahlstedt at his near post.
From the resulting corner, Gallagher received the ball and crossed from the by-line, this time Wahlstedt did not avert the danger, palming the ball into the path of Badiashile.
The centre-back calmly rolled the ball into the bottom-right corner, ironic for a side who have not been ruthless in front of goal – maybe Pochettino will feature him up front next time out.
After going in 1-0 down at the half, Blackburn’s best chance came shortly after the restart as Harry Leonard found himself with a clear path to goal, but his window of opportunity quickly narrowed and his shot missed the target.
Just before the hour mark, Sterling reminded us of his finishing ability by bending one into the top-right corner from just inside Wahlstedt’s box.
He was left with time and space after Cole Palmer intercepted a misplaced pass as Blackburn persisted in trying to play out.
This gave Chelsea a two goal comfort-blanket, although they were so assured in this game that they may not have needed it.
Ten minutes later Sterling could have had one of the goals of the round if he had found the net after mazing past several Blackburn players, but his toe-poke attempt from inside the box was eventually blocked.
In this confidence-boosting exercise, Palmer was close to getting in on the act himself after striking one towards the near post, but the deflected shot went out off the woodwork.
The jury is still out on Nicolas Jackson, who failed to impress after skying a close-range chance which Sterling did all the hard work for, by beating his man and squaring the ball.
Jackson came off looking disappointed when replaced by Moises Caicedo in the 76th minute. In contrast, Chelsea captain Reece James gave his manager a warm embrace after being substituted with an hour under his belt.
Arnor Sigurdsson had the chance to pull one back for Blackburn in added time, but showed Chelsea-like indecision in front of goal as his eventual shot was saved at the near post by Robert Sanchez.
Perhaps this was vindication of Pochettino starting his first choice keeper, and largely his first choice team, to see out the win comfortably at Stamford Bridge.
The blues have drawn Newcastle United at home in their quarter-final tie on the week of December 18th.
