Chelsea power past Fulham to reach FA Cup Semi Finals
Chelsea booked their place in the FA Cup Semi Finals with a confident 3–0 victory over Fulham at Drogba Arena, as Calin Dimario’s men continued their relentless pursuit of another domestic double.
Ruthless start seals it early
Nicola Orlandi set the tone immediately, firing in a rifled low drive from the edge of the box after just two minutes. Four minutes later, veteran full-back Luther Banton doubled the advantage with a precise close-range finish following clever interplay on the right flank.
Júnior rounded off the scoring on 46 minutes with a thumping volley into the top corner that left the goalkeeper with no chance. Chelsea dominated possession throughout, boasting 66% and an astonishing xG of 2.88 to Fulham’s 0.04.
Player of the Match: Nicola Orlandi
The young Italian full-back was electric on both ends of the pitch, providing two assists and scoring one himself for a well-earned 9.0 rating. Orlandi continues to grow into a vital piece of Dimario’s system, combining technical sharpness with relentless work rate.
“It’s about doing the basics well,” Orlandi said post-match. “I’m happy with my goal, but more importantly, we kept another clean sheet.”
Dimario praises team’s composure
Manager Calin Dimario hailed his team’s maturity and execution:
“We’ve been clinical in every competition. The early goals allowed us to dictate the tempo — that’s the hallmark of great sides.”
Chelsea’s FA Cup campaign now heads into the Semi Finals, where they’ll seek to extend their quest for back-to-back domestic trebles.
Final Score: Chelsea 3–0 Fulham
Goals: Orlandi (2’), Banton (6’), Júnior (46’)
Player of the Match: Nicola Orlandi (Chelsea)
Category: Match Report, FA Cup