Sterling and Badiashile goals ease Chelsea past Blackburn

The Blues deservedly defeated the championship side at Stamford Bridge to seal their place in the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup.

STERLING EFFORTl Chelsea's Raheem Sterling (and Blackburn Rovers' Harry Pickering battle for the ball. Photo credit: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Chelsea 2 Blackburn Rovers 0

GOALS from Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling eased Chelsea past Blackburn in a display that was functional rather than flourishing.

Their Championship opponents offered little in the way of attacking threat, but still managed to stay in touch long enough for familiar home concerns and nerves to surface.

In the end, Chelsea took their appointed place in the quarter-finals and at least wiped away the immediacy of their limp home defeat by Brentford on Saturday.

Having been drawn away to – and beaten by - Manchester City in both domestic cup competitions last season, the Carabao Cup draw has been kinder to the west London club this campaign with home fixtures in every round.

If anything, however, that simply adds to the pressure facing Mauricio Pochettino and his side to compete for silverware in the only two obvious routes open to them this season.

That was why Pochettino made just four changes from Saturday’s home defeat by Brentford, with Enzo Fernandez returning from a muscular injury. Meanwhile, Reece James and Badiashile came in for their first starts of the season.

Languishing in mid-table in the Premier League will be tolerated at Stamford Bridge only if Chelsea are making progress elsewhere.

They certainly began this tie with a sense of urgency, forcing a succession of corners in the opening 10 minutes without properly testing Leopold Wahlstedt until James drove a 17th-minute shot into the Blackburn keeper’s body.

Unlike many of his Chelsea colleagues who appear fearful of shooting, James has no such constraints holding him back. His next effort beat Wahlstedt, but also flashed inches wide of the far post.

Enzo Fernandez then forced Wahlstedt into a low save, but Chelsea did not need bravery to take the lead on the half-hour.

The Premier League side took a short corner, Conor Gallagher drove to the by-line, but his cross was inexplicably flapped at by Wahlstedt and left Badiashile with the relatively simple task of sidefooting home from 10 yards.

The France defender made just 10 Chelsea appearances following his £35m move from Monaco in January before suffering a hamstring injury which delayed his return this season.

The joy with which his Chelsea teammates greeted Badiashile’s goal appeared heartfelt and not just borne out of relief.

Blackburn offered little in the opening 45 minutes save for a couple of wayward shots from Dilan Markanday and Andrew Moran.

That could all have changed within the opening minute of the second half when Harry Leonard sprang the Chelsea offside trap, but appeared overwhelmed at the prospect of equalising at Stamford Bridge. His slapped shot rolled harmlessly wide.

What was worrisome for the home supporters was how fragile their side’s lead appeared in spite of Blackburn impotency in front of goal.

At the other end, Nicolas Jackson was again almost non-existent, almost marking himself out of the game at times, while one second-half effort when set up by Sterling was simply woeful.

By contrast, Sterling and Cole Palmer possessed a second-half energy that they had lacked prior to the interval.

Palmer had demonstrated a tendency to try and beat his man twice until he took the more direct route after 57 minutes and sent a rasping shot just over the bar.

The 21-year-old clearly took inspiration from that. Less than 90 seconds later, he seized on a sloppy Blackburn pass in defence, Sterling took over and placed a shot firmly into the far corner to give Chelsea the breathing space they craved.

Sterling almost made it 3-0 five minutes later, dancing his way through Blackburn defence before finally being crowded out. The freedom to take players on from the start will be needed if Chelsea are to fully regain their confidence.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 6; James 9 (Gusto 61, 6), Disasi 6, Badiashile 7 (Colwill 61, 6), Cucurella 6; Ugochukwu 7, Fernandez 8 (Matos 87, 6); Palmer 7 (Madueke 87, 6), Gallagher 6, Sterling 8; Jackson 4 (Caicedo 77, 6).

Subs not used: Petrovic, Maatsen, Washington, Castledine.

Blackburn Rovers (4-2-3-1): Wahlstedt 5; Brittain 6, Hill 7, Carter 6 (S Wharton 61, 6), Pickering 6; A Wharton 7, Moran 6 (Sigurdsson 74, 6); Markanday 6 (Dolan 61, 5), Travis 5, Leonard 5 (Ennis 74, 6); Garrett 5.

Subs not used: Hilton, Rankin-Costello, Tronstad, Gamble, Batty.

Referee: Tim Robinson.