EFL :- Cup Cesc Fàbregas completes Chelsea’s 4-2 comeback against Leicester City

Chelsea’s ambitions stretch well beyond winning the EFL Cup this season, yet there was no hiding what this victory meant to Antonio Conte and his players. The Chelsea manager was a picture of pumped-up raw emotion on the touchline as Cesc Fàbregas, whose extra-time goals settled a thrilling contest, ran half the length of the pitch to celebrate the moment that sealed their place in the last 16.

With only 32 minutes of Premier League football behind him this season and doubts about whether he fits into Conte’s plans, Fàbregas’s reaction was understandable. This was a personal triumph for the Spaniard on an evening that turned into an ordeal for Marcin Wasilewski, who was at fault for one of the Chelsea goals and was shown a second yellow card in the 89th minute for striking Diego Costa with his forearm.

Up until that stage a wild and chaotic game was still in the balance, though it felt as though the momentum was with Chelsea, who had recovered from being 2-0 down inside 34 minutes, amid some calamitous defending, to turn things around. Shinji Okazaki scored both Leicester goals, yet Gary Cahill’s header on the stroke of half-time changed the complexion of the tie. Four minutes after the restart César Azpilicueta thumped a sumptuous volley into the top corner and in the blink of an eye Chelsea were level.
The introduction of Costa midway through the second half added another layer of intrigue on a night of high drama, with the striker a constant threat with his aggressive running. Costa came close to adding a winner in normal time, as did Ahmed Musa and Andy King at the other end as Leicester continued to threaten.
Yet from the moment that Wasilewski was sent off, there was only going to be one winner and it was a splendid goal from Fàbregas that put Chelsea in front. Eden Hazard and Costa linked up beautifully, with the Belgian’s lovely backheel inviting Fàbregas to steer a measured shot beyond Ron-Robert Zieler in the Leicester goal. His second goal, two minutes and 29 seconds later, was thrashed into the roof of the net and killed the game.
“If you ask me if I’m happy with the goals we conceded, I’m not happy, it’s true,” Conte said. “But I saw a great reaction from all my players and this is very important because they showed the will to win, the will to go in the next round. It wasn’t easy at 2-0 and after a defeat in the last game in the Premier League, for this reason I’m pleased with the commitment of my players.”
Fàbregas was one of seven changes to the Chelsea side and the question now is whether he will retain his place in the starting lineup for Saturday’s game at Arsenal, his former club. Conte was evasive on that issue but said that he was impressed with the way Fàbregas performed. “I’m pleased for Cesc – he played a good game. I’m pleased for him because he showed me in this period great commitment during the training session and when I call him to come in during the games. I’m satisfied when I see this behaviour.”
It was an evening when Fàbregas seemed determined to make his point off as well as on the field. “I was happy to play from the start, first of all, but secondly if I can help the team then fantastic,” he said. “Hopefully this will shut up a few journalists who are talking rubbish all the time, and focus on what is important – Chelsea winning. I know what I can do and it’s a lot for this team.”

Leicester also made seven changes, with Okazaki among those who seized his chance. His first goal was expertly taken, headed in from a tight angle after Musa’s cross bounced off Azpilicueta’s chest. Chelsea’s defending was not much better in the lead up to Okazaki’s second, when Pedro’s awful clearance dropped to King. The Wales international lifted the ball into the path of Okazaki, who controlled it on his chest before beating Asmir Begovic with the aid of a slight deflection off David Luiz.

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Chelsea badly needed a break to get back into the game and it arrived when Cahill headed a Fàbregas corner over the line. Their equaliser was a beauty, Azpilicueta’s 22-yard volley flashing beyond Zieler following Wasilewski’s poor header, and from that point on the chances came thick and fast. Costa had several opportunities and was guilty of a poor miss when David Luiz released him beyond Wasilewski. Fàbregas would not be so generous in extra-time, leaving Claudio Ranieri to reflect on what might have been.

“We were very smart and clever to score twice, Shinji anticipated for both goals,” Leicester’s manager said. “I think the first key in the game was when we conceded the goal on the last corner [in the first half]. We lost two dangerous men, David Luiz and Cahill, and at that point something changed. I think the second key was when ‘Was’ was sent off – Wasilewski is a very aggressive man, it’s his strength. But it’s important sometimes if he maintains calm and stays cold on some occasions.”