Enzo Fernandez headed Chelsea into the FA Cup final on Sunday, scoring the only goal as the Blues beat Leeds 1-0 in the Wembley semi-final under interim manager Calum McFarlane, four days after the club sacked Liam Rosenior. The Argentine midfielder met Pedro Neto’s cross from six yards in the 23rd minute to settle a tense, low-quality contest. Chelsea will face Manchester City in the final on 16 May after Pep Guardiola’s side beat Southampton 2-1 on Saturday.
The match turned on Chelsea’s pressing in the middle third and Leeds’ inability to punish two clear errors. Pascal Struijk gave the ball away deep in his own half before the goal, allowing Neto to drive into space and lift a precise cross to the back post. Earlier, Trevoh Chalobah’s slip sent Brenden Aaronson clean through, but the American forward struck the ball without conviction and Robert Sanchez saved.
Joao Pedro then drilled a low effort against the near post from close range, exposing the same fragility on both sides. The pattern of the half was clear: neither team built sustained pressure, and chances came almost entirely from individual mistakes rather than passing moves. Chelsea kept their shape in a compact mid-block, denying Leeds space between the lines and forcing them to play around rather than through.
Daniel Farke responded at the break by sending on Anton Stach, and the German midfielder almost equalised with his first touch. His long-range strike forced a strong save from Sanchez and lifted Leeds’ tempo for a spell. Dominic Calvert-Lewin then headed straight at Sanchez from a promising position, the kind of finish a Premier League striker should bury.
Leeds’ improvement never produced a clear pattern of attack. Farke’s side relied on second balls and crosses rather than building through midfield, which suited Chelsea’s deeper defensive line. McFarlane, promoted from the Under-21 setup to assist Rosenior and now leading the first team, kept his side compact and let Leeds run out of ideas.
Fernandez’s role adds a layer of irony. Rosenior dropped him for two games after he hinted in an interview that he might leave at the end of the season, a decision that deepened the rift between the manager and a dressing room already unsettled by Enzo Maresca’s earlier departure.
