Chelsea batter Middlesbrough to book EFL Cup Wembley final spot

Chelsea advanced to the League Cup final with a 6-1 victory over Middlesbrough in their semi-final second leg on Tuesday, providing relief to coach Mauricio Pochettino after a disappointing first half of the season.

This match was arguably the most crucial one for Chelsea during Pochettino's troubled tenure so far. The much-criticized Blues team started slowly against a confident Middlesbrough side in the beginning.

Gradually, the five-time winners managed to find their rhythm in the game. Ben Chilwell, who was making his first start in almost four months, played a vital role in Chelsea's opening goal in the 15th minute.

Chilwell's pass split the defense and Raheem Sterling's cross found Amando Broja, who took his time on the ball before Boro captain Jonny Howson unintentionally redirected his scuffed finish into the net.

Shortly after, Morgan Rogers had an opportunity to regain Boro's overall lead, but it was Chelsea who struck again just before the half-hour mark.

Broja's finish, although scuffed, proved to be decisive as it deflected off him and fell to Enzo Fernández, who fired it home from Axel Disasi's cross at the far post.

Only seven minutes later, in a devastating move, Sterling crossed the ball to Disasi, who clinically finished it past Glover with his first touch, bringing the Wembley arch into sight.

Before the break, Cole Palmer extended Pochettino's team's lead to 4-1 on aggregate after Daniel Barlaser slipped, allowing the former Manchester City midfielder to calmly slot the ball into the net.

In the second half, Boro manager Michael Carrick hoped his team would restore some pride, but Rogers' effort was blocked after being set up by Anfernee Dijksteel.

However, Palmer secured his second goal and Chelsea's fifth in the 77th minute with a superb first-time finish from Conor Gallagher's cross. Noni Madueke then added further shine to the scoreline by ruthlessly punishing Middlesbrough's poor defending.

However, the visitors had the final say of the night when Rogers scored a magnificent goal, making him the top goalscorer in the competition. This brought some joy to the suffering Teesiders on a difficult evening.

The significance of this victory for Pochettino's team cannot be overstated, as it marks the first cup final under the Todd Boehly era. Chelsea has now become the third club to reach the EFL Cup final for the 10th time, and they will face either Liverpool or Fulham on February 25th.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough will now shift their focus back to the Championship, where they will engage in a fiercely contested battle to secure a spot in the play-offs.