Garnacho Double Lifts Chelsea Past Brave Cardiff Into EFL Cup Semi-Finals
Chelsea booked their place in the semi-finals after edging past spirited League One leaders in a gripping contest in south Wales.
Spurred on by a sold-out and vociferous crowd at , the hosts matched their Premier League opponents stride for stride in the opening period. Cardiff were disciplined without the ball and confident in possession, limiting Chelsea’s rhythm while carrying a threat of their own in a goalless first half that drew loud approval from the stands.
Chelsea head coach rang the changes, naming an entirely new XI from the side that beat at the weekend — a win overshadowed by his admission that the previous 48 hours had been the “worst” of his time at the club. The Italian’s frustration was unlikely to have eased by the break, with his rotated side struggling to impose themselves.
Maresca responded decisively at half-time, introducing two substitutes, including — and the move paid immediate dividends. Garnacho broke the deadlock after Cardiff centre-back Dylan Lawlor was caught in possession, calmly slotting home to give Chelsea the lead.
Cardiff, managed by , showed admirable resolve and roared back into the tie. The equaliser arrived when rose to meet a pinpoint cross from , sending the home crowd into deafening celebration.
Those celebrations proved brief. Another Chelsea substitute, , restored the visitors’ advantage with a powerful low strike that took a slight deflection on its way past the goalkeeper. As Cardiff pushed for a second equaliser, spaces opened up, and Garnacho struck again deep into stoppage time to seal the win.
The late goals took the edge off the atmosphere, but Cardiff emerged with plenty of credit. Their performance against elite opposition will give them confidence as they refocus on their push for an immediate return to the Championship.
For Chelsea, it was a timely — if far from flawless — victory after a testing few days for Maresca. Attention now turns to Wednesday’s draw, when they will learn their semi-final opponents.
Chelsea analysis: Maresca’s “worst” week steadied
Maresca arrived under scrutiny following his cryptic post-match comments after the Everton game, remarks that dominated both the fallout from that win and the build-up to this cup tie. The Italian appeared increasingly irritated when pressed to clarify them in his pre-match press conference, but the noise ultimately failed to derail his side’s progress.
Despite making 11 changes, Chelsea still fielded a powerful line-up, recalling £100m midfielder and boasting a bench valued at close to £400m. Yet their first-half display lacked incision, prompting decisive action at the interval.
The introductions of Garnacho and injected urgency and attacking intent, with Garnacho immediately testing Cardiff goalkeeper . He was more ruthless soon after, finishing confidently when played him through following Lawlor’s mistake.
Chelsea briefly looked vulnerable when Cardiff levelled, but they responded with composure. Neto’s deflected effort restored control, and Garnacho’s late second ensured there would be no upset.
While the scoreline arguably flattered the visitors, Chelsea were deserving winners on the night — and, with this step forward, moved closer to lifting the trophy for the first time in a decade.