Estevao had a goal and an assist as Chelsea progressed to the FA Cup semifinals with a 7-0 win over third-tier Port Vale at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Jorell Hato’s second-minute goal stood alone for a bit, but the Blues led 3-0 by half and scored regularly right into stoppage time to blowout League One’s Valiants.
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Joao Pedro starred and scored in the game, which also saw Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, and a Port Valew own goal join a stoppage-time penalty from Alejandro Garnacho on the score sheet.
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was not asked to make a save, and right-sided players Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto kept Port Vale off balance during their stints on the pitch.
More to come….
Chelsea vs Port Vale live updates — by Nick Mendola
Chelsea vs Port Vale final score: 7-0
Jorell Hato 2′, Joao Pedro 25′, Jordan Gabriel o.g. 42′, Tosin Adarabioyo 57′, Andrey Santos 69′, Estevao 84′, Alejandro Garnacho pen
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Alejandro Garnacho penalty goal — Chelsea 7-0 Port Vale
Alejandro Garnacho wins and converts a penalty to bring the Blues’ total to seven goals at Stamford Bridge. It’s almost the final kick of the game.
Estevao goal — Chelsea 6-0 Port Vale
The teenager collects a loose ball from very close range and cuts it inside the post, but will it overcome the AR’s flag for offside?
A pair of through balls are reviewed and onside!
Port Vale subs
Four recent moves for the Valiants, as Andre Gray, George Hall, Elijah Campbell, and Ethon Archer have entered the game at different points for Ben Garrity, Liam Gordon, Ben Waine, and Martin Sherif (in no particular order).
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Andrey Santos goal — Chelsea 5-0 Port Vale
Port Vale keeper Gauci can’t get to the corner kick service and Andrey Santos flies into the six to head home.
Chelsea triple change
THe Blues make three moves in the 61st minute with Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Dario Essugo entering the game for Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro.
Tosin Adarabioyo goal — Chelsea 4-0 Port Vale
Good work off a short-played set-piece, as Gusto crosses high for Tosin Adarabioyo to head home after hanging in the air.
Halftime — Chelsea 3-0 Port Vale
Stamford Bridge would’ve wanted a comfortable win with little nonsense and the Blues have pretty much put a bow on this by halftime.
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It’s what’s expected against third-tier visitors at this stage of the competition, but Chelsea and expectations have been odd bedfellows for better or worse the past few years.
Jordan Gabriel own goal — Chelsea 3-0 Port Vale
Drama’s been sapped from this one before halftime.
Malo Gusto makes a mixtape on this goal, flicking a Tosin Adarabioyo pass from midfield to Pedro and racing to the right side.
That’s where Pedro finds him after a delayed move, and Gusto rips a shot toward goal.
It’s pushed away from goal but Cole Palmer and a defender jab their feet at it and the end product is a three on Chelsea’s side of the scoreboard.
Joao Pedro goal — Chelsea 2-0 Port Vale
There’s the second goal!
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Pedro Neto darts into the box for a 50:50 with Guyana defender Liam Gordon, and wins it.
His cross finds Joao Pedro, who bides his time for a beat or two to open up his angle and slash the ball home.
Second goal would be welcomed
Chelsea is very comfortable, holding nearly 80% of the ball and not giving much — if any — of it to Port Vale in the first quarter hour.
Now nearly halfway through the first 45, Chelsea will see that they are being out-attempted 3-2. Doubling their advantage in a hurry is recommended.
Jorell Hato goal (video) — Chelsea 1-0 Port Vale
The Blues take instant control of the game, win a corner, and score.
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The keeper punches the ball off his own player, then punches that toward the spot, where Jorell Hato contorts his body to half-volley home.
Chelsea lineup
Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Adarabioyo, Hato, Lavia, Santos, Estevao, Palmer, Neto, Pedro
Port Vale lineup
Gauci, Gordon, Hall, Humphreys, John, Gabriel, Garrity, Ojo, Walters, Sherif, Waine
Chelsea vs Port Vale preview — by Joe Prince-Wright
Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea lost four-straight games ahead of the international break and were dumped out of Europe by Paris Saint-Germain and humbled at Everton in the league. That leaves Rosenior under pressure as the Blues are scrambling to qualify for the Champions League and the FA Cup is now their only chance of silverware this season. With Enzo Fernandez handed a two-game ban for his recent comments on his future at the club, plus Marc Cucurella also openly discussing a potential move away from Chelsea this summer, things are unraveling fast for Rosenior.
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Port Vale are bottom of the table in League One and look destined for relegation to the fourth-tier but somehow they’re in the last eight of the FA Cup. That is the magic of this competition. The Staffordshire club beat Premier League side Sunderland 1-0 at home in the last 16 to set up this quarterfinal and Port Vale have absolutely nothing to lose. They were last in the FA Cup quarterfinals in 1954, and they reached the semifinals that season…
Chelsea team news, focus
Injuries have been mounting up, especially in defense, for a while for Chelsea. Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Levi Colwill and Filip Jorgensen have all been out, while Jamie Gittens is still out but close to a return. Rosenior will likely rest plenty of players who played lots of minutes and traveled far and wide during the international break, but he will try to have plenty of stars on the pitch to start the game and wrap things up by half time.
Port Vale team news, focus
New Zealand international striker Ben Waine scored the winner against Sunderland, and he scored during the recent international break, and is one to watch out for. Port Vale will sit in deep and try to hurt Chelsea from set pieces and on the break and Rosenior’s side have looked particularly susceptible when defending set pieces.
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Chelsea vs Port Vale prediction
This should be fairly straightforward for Chelsea but it could take until the second half for them to break through and seal the deal. Chelsea 3-1 Port Vale.
How to watch Chelsea vs Port Vale live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 12:15pm ET Saturday (April 4)
Venue: Stamford Bridge — West London
TV Channel/Streaming: ESPN+
Read the full article here
