Pedro’s extra-time header saw Chelsea advance to the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win at Leicester.

Alvaro Morata scored for the first time since Boxing Day to give Chelsea a half-time lead, but Jamie Vardy equalised 14 minutes from time to force the additional periods.

And Pedro headed in as the Blues ended a five-match losing streak away from home to join Tottenham, Manchester United and Southampton in the last four.

Tweet of the match

Star man – N’Golo Kante

N’Golo Kante shone back at his old club
N’Golo Kante shone back at his old club (Nigel French/Empics)

The former Leicester man received a smattering of boos from some home fans early in the game, before promptly reminding them of what they used to have. As usual, Kante covered every blade of grass, but it was his attacking talents that decided the game. With players tiring in extra-time, the France midfielder popped up on the left wing and delivered a superb cross for substitute Pedro to head home. He almost added a rare goal before the end but was denied by a fine block from Marc Albrighton.

Moment of the match

Alvaro Morata slots home to give Chelsea the lead
Alvaro Morata slots home to give Chelsea the lead (Nigel French/Empics)

Alvaro Morata ended his drought by scoring his first goal of 2018 – but it could easily have been Leicester celebrating an opener. Kelechi Iheanacho brilliantly won two challenges in the middle of the pitch and surged into the Chelsea half, with Jamie Vardy to his left, Riyad Mahrez on his right and only two visiting defenders ahead. But his pass to Mahrez was poor and the Algerian was eventually tackled by Marcos Alonso. Seconds later Willian was running at a back-pedalling Foxes defence and threaded a fine pass into Morata, who took two touches before curling a lovely shot into the far right corner.

Vardy keeps his head up

Jamie Vardy endured a frustrating first half, with few touches of the ball and his one chance to run in behind the visiting defence ended by quick-thinking from Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero. When the England striker got his chance in the second half, following a fine cross from Wilfred Ndidi, he fluffed it. But Vardy did not let his head go down and, when Caballero kept out Vicente Iborra’s close-range chance, he was the quickest to react and got Leicester back into the tie.

Ratings

Pedro heads home
Pedro heads home (Nigel French/Empics)

Leicester: Kasper Schmeichel 5 (out of 10), Danny Simpson 5, Wes Morgan 5, Harry Maguire 6, Ben Chilwell 5, Riyad Mahrez 6, Vicente Iborra 6, Wilfred Ndidi 6, Marc Albrighton 7, Kelechi Iheanacho 5, Jamie Vardy 7. Substitutes: Shinji Okazaki (on for Iheanacho, 68) 6, Fousseni Diabate (on for Simpson, 106) 6, Adrien Silva (on for Iborra, 106) 5, Demarai Gray (on for Albrighton, 115) 5.

Chelsea: Willy Caballero 7, Victor Moses 6, Cesar Azpilicueta 7, Andreas Christensen 6, Antonio Rudiger 6, Marcos Alonso 5, N’Golo Kante 8, Tiemoue Bakayoko 5, Willian 7, Alvaro Morata 6, Eden Hazard 6. Substitutes: Cesc Fabregas (on for Bakayoko, 46) 6, Pedro (on for Willian, 92) 7, Gary Cahill (on for Christensen, 101) 5, Olivier Giroud (on for Morata, 105) 5.

Who’s up next?

Brighton v Leicester (Premier League, March 31)
Chelsea v Tottenham (Premier League, April 1)