Hakim Ziyech has struggled to make an impact since his big-money move from Ajax last year, but the Moroccan repaid Thomas Tuchel’s faith by scoring the only goal of the game to sink Manchester City and send Chelsea into the FA Cup final.
Ziyech arrived with a big reputation but has rarely lived up to his star billing, so it was a rare start that Tuchel gave him at Wembley on Saturday.
Ziyech struck ten minutes into the second half to send Chelsea through, after having an earlier effort ruled out for offside, and was then denied a second goal by City’s stand-in keeper Zack Steffen.
Mason Mount started the move that led to the goal, putting Timo Werner away down the left.
The German sprinted forward into City’s penalty area before squaring a pass for Ziyech to shoot into the net.
Chelsea looked more threatening throughout against a strangely subdued City side who rarely tested Kepa Arrizabalaga, recalled in goal by Tuchel.
Pep Guardiola had made seven changes from the side that won at Borussia Dortmund in midweek, and his side’s chances were not helped when playmaker Kevin De Bruyne went off with an ankle injury early in the second half.
Chelsea had the best of the chances and could have won by more if Werner had made more of his chances.
But Tuchel will be delighted that Chelsea are through to their second successive FA Cup final, against the winners of Sunday’s semi-final between Southampton and Leicester.
For City, there will be no quadruple this season but they are cruising towards another Premier League title, are in the Champions League semi-finals and return to Wembley next weekend to take on Tottenham in the Carabao Cup final.
This was just a bad day at the office for Guardiola and his men.
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