Chelsea booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2025/26 EFL Carabao Cup with a hard-earned 3–1 victory over a spirited Cardiff City side at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The quarter-final tie began at a measured pace, with Cardiff showing little sign of intimidation despite the gulf in divisions. The hosts attempted to play out from the back and probe patiently, while Chelsea dominated possession without creating clear-cut chances early on. Cardiff fashioned the first real opening inside five minutes when Cian Ashford slipped a pass through to Joel Colwill, whose cross found Callum Robinson, but his header flew over the bar.
Chelsea’s initial attacking threat came around the half-hour mark when Moisés Caicedo threaded a pass through to Marc Guiu, whose low effort was comfortably saved by Nathan Trott. The opening half was largely defined by physical duels and midfield congestion, with both sides collecting yellow cards and struggling to establish rhythm. Cardiff came closest to scoring before the break when Isaak Davies’ cross deflected off Tosin Adarabioyo and forced Filip Jörgensen into a sharp reaction save. The interval arrived with the scores level and little to separate the sides.
Enzo Maresca responded decisively at half-time, introducing João Pedro and Alejandro Garnacho, a move that changed the complexion of the game. Chelsea began the second half with greater urgency, and within minutes Facundo Buonanotte tested Trott with a curling effort after cutting inside from the edge of the box.
The breakthrough arrived shortly after when Buonanotte intercepted a loose pass in midfield and drove forward on a three-on-two counterattack. He released Garnacho on the left, and the winger kept his composure to fire a low shot across goal into the far corner, giving Chelsea a 1–0 lead.
Cardiff refused to retreat and were rewarded for their persistence in the 65th minute. Ryan Wintle switched play to Perry Ng, who cut inside from the right and delivered a precise cross into the area. David Turnbull arrived unmarked and guided a powerful header into the corner, sparking loud celebrations among the home supporters and levelling the score at 1–1.
The equaliser briefly unsettled Chelsea, and Cardiff sensed an upset, but the visitors soon reasserted control. João Pedro’s intelligent link-up play proved crucial as he dropped deep to receive the ball and bring others into the game. In the 78th minute, he combined with Andrey Santos, who spread play to Pedro Neto on the right. Neto’s driven shot took a slight deflection and crept into the corner, restoring Chelsea’s advantage.
As Cardiff pushed forward in search of another equaliser, spaces opened up, and Chelsea exploited them clinically in stoppage time. In the 90+3rd minute, Andrey Santos played a perfectly weighted pass through the centre to João Pedro, who calmly squared the ball for Garnacho. The Argentine went one-on-one with Trott and delicately chipped the goalkeeper to seal his second goal of the night and confirm a 3–1 victory.
The final whistle brought relief for Chelsea after a contest that was far more demanding than the scoreline suggests. Cardiff impressed with their organisation, intensity and fearlessness, but Chelsea’s depth, tactical adjustments and individual quality ultimately proved decisive.
The Blues march on to the semi-finals, keeping alive their quest to end a decade-long wait for Carabao Cup silverware, while Cardiff exit the competition with pride after pushing elite opposition deep into the tie.
