Chelsea see off Blackburn to reach quarter-finals
Chelsea booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with victory over Championship side Blackburn at Stamford Bridge.
Goals in either half from the returning Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling saw off a Rovers outfit that wasted good chances to score against Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty early in the game when the lively Sterling was taken out by a diving challenge from Lewis Travis, but with no VAR in use in this competition referee Tim Robinson waved away the appeals.
Skipper Reece James, making his first start in three months, twice went close to scoring in what was an encouraging display before he was replaced after an hour.
Badiashile, back after a long-term hamstring problem he sustained last season, side-footed home after 29 minutes when Blackburn keeper Leopold Wahlstedt tamely pushed a cross from Cole Palmer directly into his path.
Just before half-time the visitors were also denied a penalty when Conor Gallagher’s outstretched hand was hit by a Callum Brittain cross.
On-loan Brighton striker Andrew Moran then tamely chipped wide after being teed up from close range by Harry Leonard.
Blackburn should have been on level terms shortly after the restart when Chelsea were caught out badly by a long ball, but Leonard showed a lack of composure in front of goal and shot wide.
That let-off saw Chelsea up their intensity and Sterling finished the game as a contest when he curled in superbly on the hour.
Rovers substitute Arnor Sigurdsson should have grabbed a deserved late consolation for the visitors when he charged his way into the Chelsea box, but Robert Sanchez made an excellent diving save to keep out his low effort.
Chelsea: Sanchez, James (Gusto 60), Disasi, Badiashile (Colwill 60), Cucurella, Ugochukwu, Fernandez (Matos 87), Gallagher, Palmer (Mandueke 87), Sterling, Jackson (Caicedo 75).
Subs not used: Petrovic, Maatsen, Castledine, Washington.
