FA Cup final; Youri Tielemans stunner helps Leicester City lift maiden FA Cup

FA Cup final

Updated: 18/11/2024

2020-21 FA Cup final report

Chelsea 0 Leicester City 1 – The Wembley stadium – Saturday, 15 May 2021

Playing in front of an attendance of 21,000 – the largest since lockdown – Leicester City won their maiden FA Cup in its 137-year history on the back of a stunning second-half goal from Youri Tielemans.

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Chelsea were, in fact, the more dominant side in the first half with Leicester trying to hit on the breaks.

But with Reece James deployed as one of the three center-backs to stymie the Foxes' counter-attacks, there were no clear-cut chances on either side as the game went into the interval on a dull note.

The only real chances of note before the break fell to Leicester when Tielemans produced a lofted pass to Jamie Vardy who headed wide for his second opportunity to score after his shot from 8 yards was effectively blocked by James on 16 minutes.

Leicester were dealt a severe blow in the 34th minute when defender Jonny Evans was forced off owing to a recurring heel problem. Wesley Fofana who stepped in for Evans proved to be upto the task when he pulled off a spectacular double-block to deny Timo Werner from close-range a little later.

Leicester forced a flurry of corners as they begun the second half on a strong note. Tielemans switched from the role of a provider to a finisher in the 63rd minute as he collected a ball 35 yards out and let loose a cannonball of a shot that ripped into the top corner of the net beyond a diving Kepa Arrizabalaga much to the noisy celebrations of Leicester fans behind the goal.

As big a hero for the Foxes was their goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel whose spectacular saves prevented Brendan Rodgers' men from going behind – the first was from a Ben Chilwell header which he tipped onto the post and the second from a spectacular Mason Mount half-volley snap shot that seemed destined to be going in.

Veteran Leicester full-back Wes Morgan who made his first appearance of the calendar year with just 8 minutes of the stipulated ninety left, almost turned culprit when he bundled the ball into his own net following a goal-mouth melee.

But the Chelsea fans' celebrations were silenced when VAR correctly judged Chilwell to be a shade offside while receiving Thiago Silva's long pass in the build-up.

As the final whistle went off, Rodgers ran onto the pitch, celebrating his first major silverware in England, to huge cheers from the end containing travelling Leicester City supporters.

The drama is not in the least over as Thomas Tuchel's men will be out to seek revenge on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge for a critical Premier league clash that could well decide the fate of the two teams as far as a finish in the Top Four goes.

Chelsea starting in a 3-4-3 formation: Kepa (goal), Azpilicueta (Hudson-Odoi 76), Silva, Rudiger, James, Kante, Jorginho (Havertz 75), Alonso (Chilwell 68), Mount, Ziyech (Pulisic 68), Werner (Giroud 82)

Substitutes not used: Zouma, Mendy, Gilmour, Emerson

Leicester starting in a 3-4-3 formation: Schmeichel (goal), Fofana, Evans (Albrighton 34), Soyuncu, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Thomas (Morgan 82), Perez (Choudhury 82), Iheanacho (Maddison 67), Vardy

Substitutes not used:  Ward, Amartey, Pereira, Mendy, Praet

Scorer: Tielemans (63m)

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