Chelsea 5-2 Leicester City: Terrific Torres Ends the Day

Chelsea’s remarkable transformation under the leadership of Robbie Di Matteo continued at Stamford Bridge yesterday afternoon as the ‘Corrupt Cup’ quarter-finalists beat Championship Leicester City to book a FA Cup semi-final date from the winners of Tottenham and Bolton at Wembley during the weekend of April 14th/15th.

It has been a week to remember for the Blues, beginning with the League victory over Stoke followed by the victory over Napoli and then last Friday evening, Chelsea’s U18s travelled to Old Trafford and beat Man Utd 2-1 in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup semi-final. (The date for the 2^nd leg is yet to be confirmed).

Di Matteo made changes from Wednesday night. Torres, Sturridge, Kalou were the front three and Torres (ever improving from Di Matteo and Newton’s love and care) duly obliged with a 2^nd half double (his first goals since October) in the front of the adoring Matthew Harding stand.

Both goals were made by Raul Meireles and at the end Torres set up his mate to smash in Chelsea’s 5^th.

Cahill opened the scoring with a free header and Kalou skipped in to give Chelsea 2-0 half-time lead.

Torres got his first when scuffing in at the far post to make it 3-0, then Leicester pulled one back from Beckford (who just loves scoring against Chelsea).

Torres scored his second with a flicked header from a Meireles corner and Leicester sub Marshall probably scored the best goal of the game with a 25 yarder that curled into Cech’s left hand corner.

There is no doubt Torres is on his way back to his best.

His workrate against Napoli was excellent and yesterday he worked so hard he was deserving of a hat-trick which he should have taken but was denied by Schmeical, a mishit and taking the simple option by setting up Meireles for Chelsea’s 5^th.

Prior to kick-off there was a minute applause of appreciation, care, concern and goodwill from both sets of fans for the stricken Fabrice Muamba, who at the time of writing, still lies critically ill in intensive care in the London Chest Hospital.

Our thoughts and prayers will still be with him, his young son, family and friends until Fabrice is up and about, hopefully playing Premiership football again!

Chelsea: Cech (c), Bosingwa, Ivanovic (Luiz), Cahill, Bertrand, Mikel, Meireles, Sturridge, Mata (Malouda h/t), Kalou (Essien 62), Torres.

Goals: Cahill, Kalou, Torres (2), Meireles

Leicester City: Schmeichel, St Ledger (Schlupp), Bamba, Morgan, Konchesky, Gallagher (Peltier), Danns, Wellens (c) (Marshall 83), Dyer, Beckford, Nugent.

Goals: Beckford, Marshall

NEXT UP: Money Citeh (a), Weds 21/3/12, k.o. 7.45pm

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