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Chelsea defeated Middlesbrough 6-1 in the second leg of their EFL Cup semifinal at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, January 23. The Blues came into the game with a 0-1 deficit, courtesy of their narrow defeat at the Riverside Stadium in the first leg earlier this month.
A clinical display from Chelsea helped them rout their Championship opponents to become the first team to qualify for the final of the 2023-24 EFL Cup with their 6-2 aggregate win. Chelsea's official X handle posted the following tweet after the game:
Fans reacted with happy sentiments, with one user claiming that Chelsea are now back:
"We are properly back."
Another asked Mauricio Pochettino's critics to surface after Chelsea's resounding win:
"Where are the Poch haters now?"
One fan expects Liverpool to qualify as the other finalist and then lose in the final, saying:
One fan took a dig at Arsenal, who despite their excellent form in recent seasons, are yet to win a trophy since 2020.
One fan rated this win as Chelsea's best performance of the season, saying:
Here are some more reactions from fans:
What happened in the game between Chelsea and Middlesbrough?
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Blues got off to a quick start as Boro defender Jonny Howson scored an own goal in the 15th minute in his attempt to take away the ball from Armando Broja. Enzo Fernandes doubled the lead in the 29th minute with an easy finish from inside the box.
Chelsea defender Axel Disasi showed his goal-scoring prowess by converting Raheem Sterling's ball in the 36th minute. Cole Palmer added a fourth in the 42nd minute to put the match beyond Boro's reach before the end of the first half.
The Blues played at a slower tempo in the second half, with Cole Palmer expertly finishing (with his weak foot) a smart ball from Conor Gallagher in the 77th minute to make it 5-0 on the night. Noni Madueke then converted another pass from Gallagher to add his name to the scoresheet in the 81st minute.
Boro striker Morgan Rogers pulled one goal back in the 88th minute, which turned out to be a consolation strike on the night. The game ended 6-1 in favor of the Blues, who will now have a golden chance to earn their first silverware of the Todd Boehly-era next month at Wembley in the final of the EFL Cup.
