A heavily-rotated Chelsea side were helped by their substitutes in a nervy Carabao Cup clash, beating Cardiff City 3-1 in the Welsh capital.
Alejandro Garnacho's brace and Pedro Neto's deflected effort sent the Blues on their way, cancelling out David Turnbull's equaliser.
Cardiff looked promising throughout and the League One leaders have much to be positive about, taking the world champions all the way.
Story of the Match
Cardiff worked the ball well down the right, Ruben Colwill picked out Callum Robinson in the area, but a looping header was caught with ease by Filip Jorgensen.
Chelsea first opportunity fell to Benoit Badiashile on the edge of the area. A short corner by Jamie Gittens came to Moises Caicedo, who found the French defender; his shot high over the bar and ultimately wasted from a promising position.
Cian Ashford was looking promising for the hosts; the Welsh youngster twisted and turned, forcing Jorgensen into another save. A promising start from the League One leaders.
Chelsea’s efforts early on were smothered quickly by the Cardiff defence, paying homage to the confidence of the hosts.
Cardiff’s flashpoint arrived shortly after the twenty minute mark, as Isaak Davies races behind a ball sent over the top, but his bearings were wrong and his effort sailed well wide after a promising attack.
Brilliance by Caicedo in midfield almost handed Chelsea an opener; a turn on the ball took his markers out the game, Marc Guiu was sent through but his drilled effort was denied by the legs of Nathan Trott.
Davies looked to hand Cardiff the lead again, as a Davies shot which deflected off Tosin Adarabioyo nearly crept into Jorgensen’s near post. To his and Chelsea’s relief, it rolled just wide of the post.
The visitors were becoming the masters of their own downfall with some limp defensive play; David Turnbull almost benefitted from a lapse by Badiashile, but his effort drifted wide.
Former Arsenal and Crystal Palace man Calum Chambers almost nodded the Bluebirds in front but Jorgensen again was equal to a Cardiff effort.
Encouraging signs from the hosts who played with a freedom in the opening half which has also helped them reach top spot in the third tier.
Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro were introduced from the bench to inject impetus into Chelsea’s play, with Garnacho almost opening the scoring.
The Argentinian evades the defenders challenge to shift the ball onto his right foot, with Trott equal to the strike to parry it to safety.
Garnacho had a second bite of the cherry and this time it paid off; Chelsea in front.
Dylan Lawlor’s hospital pass fell straight to Facundo Buonanotte who ran forward with vigor. He found Garnacho, who rolled the ball home.
The provider of the first almost netted his and Chelsea’s second of the evening. **Joao Pedro**’s shot was thwarted by the defender as it fell to Buonanotte, who forced a good stop out of Trott. After a promising Cardiff opening half, it was starting to become one way traffic.
To Cardiff’s credit they stuck in despite going behind and they found an equaliser with fifteen minutes to spare; sending the Cardiff City stadium into raptures.
A pin-point cross by Perry Ng found the diving head of Turnbull, who without a challenge powered his header home past Jorgensen.
Chelsea had to react and from a Cardiff attack, they shattered the Bluebirds’ dreams.
Ng’s effort was bread and butter for Jorgensen and the Dane was quick to set his team off. Andrey Santos laid off Pedro Neto, whose strike, with the fortune of a deflection on the way, flew past Trott. Chelsea back in-front and the semi-final in reach.
Turnbull’s awkward volley looped onto the roof of the net as the hosts threw the dice at getting a second leveller.
Garnacho rounded off proceedings with a smart finish in the dying embers of the match.
A clever flick over the defenders by Joao Pedro sent the Argentinian away, and a composed finish past Trott put the tie to bed.
Cardiff’s endeavour can’t be questioned, but quality shone through in the end as Chelsea progressed to the semi-final’s.