Chelsea – Manchester City

Hello all and welcome to live text commentary of a massive FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, with 2011 winners Manchester City facing the holders Chelsea.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2013/0414/manchestercityfanwembleysemi-final20130414_275x155.jpg"><br>A young Manchester City laps up the Wembley sunshine.

Chelsea and City looking to book a place in the final, where either side would be favourites against Wigan. <a href="/columns/story/_/id/1411203/delaney:-wigan-make-history,-millwall-make-headlines-in-fa-cup" target="_blank">The Latics beat Millwall 2-0 on Saturday to secure their first ever FA Cup final spot. </a>

The main team news for Manchester City is that David Silva has failed to recover from a hamstring injury and is missing today, while Costel Pantilimon comes in for Joe Hart. The Romanian keeper has played every round in the FA Cup for City this season.

For Chelsea, there is no place for Frank Lampard or John Terry in the starting line-up despite the two players boasting an impressive haul of nine FA Cup winners' medals between them.

Manchester City get the game underway...

City seeing plenty of the ball in these opening few minutes. Chelsea, twice, do well to prevent a corner.

Ba putting Kompany under plenty of pressure as the defender is forced to play a dangerous ball to Pantilimon who clears to safety.

Superb play from Toure as he out-muscles Hazard with ease before slotting in Aguero. The angle is too tight for the striker though and he can only find the side netting.

Clichy does brilliantly to bring an end to a Chelsea move before bursting into the opposition's half. City eventually win the corner.

Chelsea get the corner clear as far as Barry who sends the ball back into the area. Toure takes a swipe at it and it deflects off Aguero, bringing out a top save from Cech.

What a start to this game. Plenty of pace, with both teams looking to attack.

Mata looks to pick out Ba but Pantilimon does well to step off his line and claim the ball.

Remember, the winner of today's clash will meet Wigan in the May 11 final.

Lovely interchange between Aguero and Barry sees Tevez soon bring a top save out of Cech. The Chelsea keeper has had to be at his best so far.

City certainly looking the most dangerous side so far. Tevez and Aguero have been very lively.

A nice period of pressure from City at the moment. Chelsea's defence are having to concentrate.

Neat play from Nasri as he picks out Milner in space down the right. The England international looks to send a cross into the box but it ends up going out for a throw-in.

City dominating. Ba has barely even had a touch for Chelsea at the other end of the pitch.

Chelsea have been wasteful when they been in possession. Mikel gives it away cheaply to Tevez and City are back on the attack.

A beautiful flick from Oscar to turn Zabaleta, who brings him down in the process. Could easily have been a yellow but Chris Hoy keeps his cards in his pocket on this occasion.

Some poor passing at the back from City nearly costs them but they are somehow able to play their way out of trouble. Mancini will have had his heart in his mouth there.

Barry looks for the run of Milner but he puts too much on it and it falls straight to Cech.

Aguero latches onto the end of a long ball from Kompany but Ivanovic gets back to put a superb block in.

It is all one-way traffic at the moment. Chelsea really need to get the likes of Mata and Hazard in the game.

Tevez drives towards the Chelsea box and plays a neat one-two with Aguero before seeing his effort on goal blocked. Unlucky.

Milner in space on the right but nobody is in the middle to get onto the end of his dangerous delivery.

Kompany brings down Ba. Free-kick to Chelsea in a dangerous position.

City are unable to deal with Mata's free-kick. It falls to Hazard on the edge of the box but his effort in on goal is cleared off the line by Kompany.

Chelsea sustaining the pressure. This is their best period of the half so far.

City counter through Milner but Aguero's ball to Tevez is poor and Chelsea are given the chance to attack again.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Barry goes into the book for a mistimed tackle on Ramires.

What a superb semi-final this has been so far. Exciting from the off, and now that Chelsea have come into the game it has become real end-to-end stuff.

Mikel picks out a clever run from Ba but the striker is unable to bring it under control, otherwise he would have had a real chance there.

Chelsea keeping up the pressure and it is their turn now to keep their opponents pegged back in their own half.

Zabaleta with a crunching tackle on Bertrand. Play on says the referee.

Nasri picks out Clichy on the left but his cross is blocked by Azpilicueta and Chelsea are able to counter.

Some scrappy play as City struggle to get the ball out of their own box. It falls to Ramires who takes a swing first-time, but he sends his effort well wide.

Fantastic play from Tevez as he shakes off a couple of Chelsea players, however, his ball to Milner is poor and Bertrand is able to clear.

It is real cat and mouse this, as each team takes it in turn to attack.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL FOR CITY. NASRI.</b>

City drive forward through Toure who passes to Aguero. The Argentine picks out Nasri with his first touch and the Frenchman gets a lot of luck as the ball bounces into his path off a defender before he slots home.

What have Chelsea got in response now? City will no doubt grow in confidence after that goal.

Nearly an instant reply from Chelsea as Oscar tees up Mata on the edge of the box who sends a curling effort just wide of Pantilimon's goal.

38 minutes gone and the pace of the game has yet to let up.

City nearly make it two as Aguero is unable to control Tevez's pass and Cech comes out to clear. It falls to Milner who shoots but Cech makes another save before Aguero is ruled offside.

Mata lofts a ball into the City box but Nastasic heads clear the danger.

Oscar sends a ball into the box but he puts too much on it and it sails out for a goal kick.

Nasri looks full of energy today. Something we haven't seen from him as regularly as we should have this season.

Chelsea probing the City defence but not having too much luck. Nastasic has been excellent at getting on the end of all their deliveries.

Aguero tries to drive forward into the Chelsea box but Luiz does well to stand his ground.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Toure picks up a booking for a trip on Mikel.

One minute of injury time to be played.

City counter from a Chelsea free-kick through Milner. For some reason he tries to shoot from a tight angle with men in the middle but Cech makes the save. The rebound falls to Kompany but he can only send his effort wide.

There goes the half-time whistle and what a 45 minutes it was. End-to-end action with both teams creating chances. City have been superior though and are good value for their lead.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2013/0414/samirnasrigoal20130414_275x155.jpg"><br>Samir Nasri fires Manchester City into the lead.

Chelsea get this second half underway...

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Ramires picks up a yellow for a late challenge. Free-kick in a dangerous position for City.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL FOR CITY. AGUERO.</b>

Barry picks up the ball on the edge of the area and finds the run of Ageuro with a fine ball. The Argentine produces an even better header to find the top corner and leave Cech stranded.

Chelsea have got it all to do now. Not the start to this second half that they needed.

Ramires has a go from distance for Chelsea but he blasts it high and wide.

Nasri comes forward for City and picks out Milner in the box but Luiz is there to shut the door in his face.

Bertrand shows some promise as he bursts down the left but the move soon comes to an end as he runs into a sea of City players.

Oscar comes forward down the left but Zabaleta does brilliantly to stop him in his tracks with a crunching tackle.

Ba tries to bring the ball under control in the City area but he loses it. Oscar was waiting in space for the pass.

City searching for a third as Zabaleta picks out Milner on the right. The winger sends a ball into the box but Chelsea are able to head clear.

Oscar shoots from distance. It takes a deflection and nearly lands into the path of Ba but Kompany is there to make a vital interception.

Chelsea attack again through Hazard but the move is brought to an end due to Ramires standing in an offside position.

Oscar does well to win a corner off Kompany...

The corner into the box is poor though and City clear the ball to safety.

Luiz wins a free-kick in a dangerous position. A real chance for Chelsea...

Mata sends the ball into the box but Pantilimon does well to claim it.

Kompany picks up the ball about 35 yards out but decides to shoot. The ball unsurprisingly sails well over the bar.

The game has lost some of its tempo that it had in the first half but both teams are still going for it and creating chances.

Oscar gets to the byline for Chelsea but his cross is deflected and Pantilimon is able to claim it.

Hazard cannot find space to pick a cross out so decides to shoot from distance but he sends it well wide. Chelsea are beginning to get a little frustrated.

Torres is preparing to come on...

Chelsea probing the City defence again. Hazard picks out Ramires at the far post but the Brazilian is unable to direct his header on target.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Chelsea bring on Torres for Mikel. An attacking change from Rafa Benitez.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL FOR CHELSEA. BA.</b>

Ba gets on the end of a Luiz long ball forward and manages to shake off two defenders before swivelling and firing a volley in off the post. Great strike.

Chelsea right back in it then. And now they have two strikers on the pitch. They will feel they can grab an equaliser.

Chelsea counter through Hazard who finds himself in space before picking out Mata. Nastasic tries to make the tackle but he misses it. Just as Mata is about to pull the trigger Pantilimon bursts out of his goal to get a vital touch. Great goalkeeping.

Superb from Pantilimon again as he makes a point-blank save to deny Ba following Hazard's cross.

City really rattled now. It was Clichy who gave the ball away to Hazard in his own box just then.

Chelsea brimming with confidence and continue to probe. What a game.

Azpilicueta tries to swing in a cross from the right but he can only send it out for a goal kick.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> City make a change as Garcia is brought on for Tevez to give their defence some more protection.

The game is finely poised as we head into the final 15 minutes or so.

Chelsea camped in City's half at the moment. City's defence are going to have to be on the top of their game if they want to hold on to this lead.

Torres makes some space for himself before firing an effort at goal but it canons back off a City defender.

Nasri wins the ball back for City and comes forward. He lays it off to Toure but despite a driving run he soon ends up in trouble and loses it.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Kompany goes into the book for a cynical foul on Hazard.

Luiz fires a free-kick from 25 yards out but it sails past Pantilimon's post. The keeper looked as if he had it covered.

Toure picks up the ball on the edge of the area and drives forward. He appears to get by clipped by Oscar as he shoots and his effort ends up going just wide. Unlucky.

Aguero very lucky to still be on the field. He goes in with two feet on Luiz as the defender lands on the floor following a collision between the pair.

Mata plays a long ball forward into the box in search of Torres but the striker is just unable to get the required touch on the ball and Pantilimon is able to smother it.

City still looking for a third to kill the game off. The next goal, if there is one, really could go either way.

Today's attendance is 85,621.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> City make another defensive change as Lescott comes on for Nasri.

Time is starting to tick for Chelsea. Is there enough left for them to find an equaliser?

Torres latches onto a long ball but is unable to pull the trigger after being tugged back by Komoany and Pantilimon is able to smother. Should have been a penalty.

Chelsea continue to attack through Bertrand and win a corner.

City get it clear but Chelsea are still camped in their half.

Aguero comes forward but is stopped by Oscar. He wins it back and then turns Oscar and Azpilicueta before Mata tracks back to win possession.

Chelsea still probing. They fire in another cross but City get it away and counter. Toure drives forward into the box before puling it back to Aguero but the striker fails to find the target.

Four minutes of injury time to be played. Still Chelsea pile on the pressure.

Mata finds Bertrand in space but his cross into the middle is claimed by Pantilimon with Ba waiting to pounce.

Torres comes forward but is blocked off by Garcia on the edge of the box. No foul given.

Hazard cuts in from the left and decides to shoot from distance but his effort sails high and wide.

Last chance for Chelsea...

Milner thumps the ball downfield. That must be it?

There goes the full-time whistle. City have triumphed over Chelsea to make it into the final.

A superb game from beginning to end, it really did have everything. Chelsea threatened to comeback from two behind but ultimately City held on.

City will meet Wigan at Wembley for the FA Cup final on May 11.

That is all from us for today. Hope you have enjoyed it and see you next time.