Chelsea player ratings vs Cardiff City: Substitutes to the rescue! Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto come off the bench to spare Enzo Maresca's blushes against plucky Bluebirds as Argentine nets classy brace

Unconvincing Chelsea squeezed past Cardiff City to land a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a scrappy 3-1 victory over the League One outfit in South Wales. The Blues were woeful in the first-half, but the introduction of subsitutes Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto proved the difference between the two sides as Enzo Maresca’s side sealed the tie with three second-half goals.

Maresca made sweeping changes to Chelsea's starting line-up, with all 11 players swapped out following the two-nil victory over Everton at the weekend. The opening stages were scrappy, neither side fluent in attack and both defences allowed space for chances to be created, and it was the hosts who really should've opened the scoring. Isaak Davies found himself in acres of space on the left, but snatched at his chance as he broke into the box and fired woefully wide when he really should have tested Filip Jorgensen in the Chelsea net.

The second-half started much as the first had ended, with the Bluebirds enjoying the vast majority of possession, but the hosts failed to create a clear-cut opportunity and could do little as the Blues began to take control of the tie. Maresca brought on fresh legs in Joao Pedro and Garnacho after the break and it was the Argentina international who opened the scoring after a mistake from Cardiff allowed Facundo Bounanotte to break upfield, he played Garnacho in to fire the ball low across Nathan Trott for the lead.

The Blues began to dominate proceedings and the changes made it look certain they would add to their score, but there was bedlam after Scotland international David Turnbull thumped a header past Jorgensen to bring the match level. The Cardiff City Stadium was bouncing as the fans sensed blood, but it was another substitute who restored the visitors’ lead as Neto fired a fierce low drive, which took a small deflection, on its way into the corner of the net.

The hosts tried to turn the screw with a grandstand finish in the final stages, but it was Garnacho’s neat finish in the dying stages which put a gloss on the result for the west Londoners, and Maresca’s side can now look forward to taking their place in the semi-finals which begin in the New Year.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the Cardiff City Stadium...

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Goalkeeper & Defence
Filip Jorgensen (7/10):
Made a superb reflex save in the 34th minute, a deflected shot looked bound for the bottom corner, but he managed to stick out a hand and direct the ball around the post. Was reliable whenver called into action.
Jorrel Hato (7/10):
A reasonably steady evening, stepped out of defence with confidence on occasion, too. Solid performance.
Benoit Badiashile (6/10):
Gave the ball away for a chance in the 43rd minute, seemed to panic and was robbed far too easily. Like much of the Chelsea side, his second-half performance was much improved.
Tosin Adarabioyo (7/10):
Generally composed when called into action, barely put a foot wrong all night.
Josh Acheampong (6/10):
Had a very busy evening on the right of Chelsea's defence as Cardiff poured everything down their left-hand side. He was found wanting a couple of times and looked shaky. Hooked off with a few minutes to go.

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Midfield
Andrey Santos (7/10):
A busy evening and showed some decent touches and was kept under constant pressure from the Cardiff midfield. Made a goal-denying save in time added on.
Moises Caicedo (7/10):
Captain for the evening and covered his usual acres space, snapping into tackles, but was booked needlessly in the final stages of the first half.
Facundo Buonanotte (6/10):
Had been having a poor evening, struggling with his final pass on a couple of occassions, but showed composure to capitalise on a stray pass to play in Garnacho for the opener. And fired just high over the bar in the 60th minute with a fierce drive. Subbed off just after the hour, replaced by Gusto.
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Attack
Jamie Gittens (6/10):
Moved across to right-hand side at the start of the second-half, but made little impact on the match all evening, was hooked off in the 66th minute for Neto.
Marc Guiu (5/10):
Wasn't an easy night in the early stages, but came very close to opening the scoring on the half hour. His low drive was well saved by Trott. A frustrating half as he was given very little to work with. Subbed off at half-time, replaced by Joao Pedro.
Tyrique George (5/10):
A non-existent presence in the first-half as Chelsea laboured to create any opportunities and was hauled off at half-time, replaced by Garnacho.

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Subs & Manager
Joao Pedro (7/10):
Given the nod by Maresca at the break and brought on in place of Guiu, a constant thorn in Cardiff's side.
Alejandro Garnacho (8/10):
Came on a second-half replacement for George and made an instant impact, seeing a close range drive well-saved by Trott. Stayed calm to take his chance and fire low past the Cardiff keeper for the opener and showed excellent composure to score the decider in time added on.
Malo Gusto (6/10):
Enjoyed a few touches after coming on, but wasn't the determining factor in Chelsea's win.
Pedro Neto (8/10):
A busy presence in the final third, and was there with eight minutes on the clock to fire a clean, low drive taking a deflection off Bagan's legs and into the far corner to retore the Blues' lead.
Trevoh Chalobah (N/A):
Only introduced with a few minutes to go.
Enzo Maresca (7/10):
Mixed emotions on a night where his second string team struggled to compete with a League One side, but his substitutions made the all the difference. He will allow himself a sigh of relief, and can start planning for the semi-finals.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Midfield

Attack

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Subs & Manager