Alvaro Morata struck late to send Chelsea into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and down Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues showcased Ethan Ampadu from the start, anchoring the defence, and the Wales starlet left his mark early—literally, as he landed a boot on Jermain Defoe to pick up a yellow card.
The teenager impressed otherwise though, with some nice recovery pace and well-timed challenges, as well as neat short distribution mixed with the occasional wayward long pass.
Chelsea were purring throughout the first half and Kenedy's backheel finding Cesc Fabregas, who squared for Willian to convert into the empty net.
The Cherries pushed on in the second half in search of an equaliser and should have had one when Lys Mousset flicked the ball up for Dan Gosling inside the area but his half-volley was lashed wide.
Conte, nervous at this stage, made a double switch mid-way through half to send on Tiemoue Bakayoko and Eden Hazard, switching to a more conservative 3-5-2.
Gosling eventually grabbed the visitors' deserved equaliser, curling home to seemingly take the game to extra-time.
But Hazard's flick sent fellow substitute Alvaro Morata in on goal to convert and spark wild scenes of celebration.
Chelsea: Caballero, Rudiger, Ampadu, Cahill, Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Fabregas, Kenedy, Willian, Pedro, Batshuayi
Subs: Eduardo, Clarke-Salter, Sterling, Bakayoko, Hazard, Hudson-Odoi, Morata
Bournemouth: Boruc, A Smith, Francis, S Cook, Simpson, Arter, Surman, Gosling, Mousset, Arter, Defoe.
Subs: Ramsdale, Ake, L Cook, Hyndman, Ibe, Pugh, Wilson.
Follow all the action from Stamford Bridge below.
Blues fans, you can follow the draw for the semi-finals live here.
Manchester City, Arsenal or Bristol City await.
No prizes for who most Chelsea fans want there then.
Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth: 5 talking points
Alvaro Morata denied Bournemouth late into stoppage time to send Chelsea into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Antonio Conte made eight changes from the the team that beat Southampton last Saturday.
But they still had class enough to give Bournemouth plenty of problems early on at Stamford Bridge tonight.
Willian had given the Blues the lead but Bournemouth took control in the second half and appeared to send the tie into extra-time with Dan Gosling’s curler from the edge of the area.
But Eden Hazard’s flick send Alvaro Morata clear and the Spaniard converted to cruelly deny the Cherries with a second goal in the space of a minute.
Goal! Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth (Morata)
Hazard with a stunning piece of skill and it’s an unselfish pass to Morata, who slides it home.
Late drama!
Goal! Chelsea 1-1 Bournemouth (Gosling)
Gosling! What a hit!
Gosling could have scored the equaliser there.
Mousset flicked it over the head of Ampadu and Gosling gathered the loose ball before blazing over.
Cherries pushing and looking most likely to score the next goal.
Gosling breaking free from midfield and now Ibe dances in from the left and finds Mousset.
His effort is sprayed over the bar, he should do better. Chelsea living dangerously.
Meanwhile, Conte brings on Hazard and Bakayoko for Willian and Pedro, 3-5-2?
Simpson smashes into Kenedy at a corner and the Brazilian is down with the game coming to a stop.
Bournemouth starting the half well with some good deliveries into the box.
Cherries on the front foot but Kenedy almost catches them on the break.
Cesc almost returns the ball to the Brazilian to put them in on goal.
Greedy from Kenedy!
He should slip in Batshuayi after bursting through on goal, but it’s horribly sliced wide!
Chance for the Batman again, controls inside the box, back to goal, dragging it back to create space but his route is blocked.
The Belgian clutches his face and goes down, no penalty though.
Smith caught him in the face, but it was an accident.
Zappacosta down the right and he drives it across goal.
The slightest of touches takes it away from Batshuayi, who was waiting to score from six yards.
Cherries struggling to keep this at one right now.
The crunching challenge from Ampadu on Defoe has led to the England striker going off.
Another from the Wales international is timed much better on Smith with the Cherries full-back about to go in on goal.
He’s at the centre of everything, is Ampadu, with the teenager recovering, after Willian pulled up, to stop Ibe’s shot on goal.
Underway in the other quarter-final too, Bristol City looking to create a shock!
Man United with a top side, with Jose Mourinho playing Martial, Rashford and Ibra.
Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth (Willian)
Lovely goal from Chelsea, gorgeous move!
Fabregas is sent clear after Kenedy’s back hell and the Spaniard is in on goal.
Instead of shooting, he squares it unselfishly to Willian to convert into the empty net.
Ampadu anchoring the defence so far in Christensen/Luiz’s absence.
Rudiger and Cahill out quick to his side.
Batshuayi not able to hold it up well so far.
Young Ethan Ampadu is straight into the game with a rash tackle.
Defoe left in a heap and the Welsh prospect sees yellow.
Good start from the Blues.
Team news
Chelsea: Caballero, Rudiger, Ampadu, Cahill, Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Fabregas, Kenedy, Willian, Pedro, Batshuayi
Subs: Eduardo, Clarke-Salter, Sterling, Bakayoko, Hazard, Hudson-Odoi, Morata
Bournemouth: Boruc, A Smith, Francis, S Cook, Simpson, Arter, Surman, Gosling, Mousset, Arter, Defoe.
Subs: Ramsdale, Ake, L Cook, Hyndman, Ibe, Pugh, Wilson.
Conte to give younger players a chance?
Antonio Conte may look to hand some of Chelsea’s brighter talented a chance to show what they can do tonight.
Kenedy, who has not been without his problems, may gain some time on the left flank to hand Marcos Alonso a rest.
The Blues will be keen to advance though, knowing a semi-final berth will take them one step from Wembley and a chance to clinch the first domestic silverware of the season.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc7pI_WAUmC/
Welcome
Former Chelsea defender Nathan Ake returns to Stamford Bridge tonight insisting he has nothing to prove.
And the Dutchman said his focus is avoiding a repeat of their “worst” display of the season in the Sunday thrashing by Liverpool.
Ake joined Chelsea aged 16 but only made two Premier League starts around loan deals before Antonio Conte sanctioned his £20m sale to Bournemouth last summer.
“It will be good to be back,” said the Dutchman. “I had a good time there, but I have nothing to prove to be fair.
“It is not a big day for me personally. It’s just a game, a big game for us. We want to go to the semi-final and that’s what I want to think about, not about other things.”
Ake was ridiculously given man-of-the-match at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday after Philippe Coutinho and Mo Salah ran amok to leave Bournemouth just a point off the drop zone. “I felt I didn’t really play very well,” he admitted.
Eddie Howe’s side have now gone six games without a win and the Cherries defender added: “Against Liverpool I think was the worst we’ve played in the Premier League this season. Normally we’re compact.”