Broja propels Chelsea into FA Youth Cup semi after 1-0 win against Millwall at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea 1 v Millwall 0
FA Youth Cup Quarter Final
Armando Broja’s clinical second-half strike propelled Chelsea into the FA Cup semi-final following the Blues’ 1-0 against Millwall at Stamford Bridge tonight
The west Londoners dominated the match in terms of possession, and had they had their finishing boots on, would have won more comfortably against their South London opponents.
A late rally by the Lions, pushed Chelsea into defensive mode, but they fully deserved their victory.
Chelsea were unlucky on 10 minutes when Valentino Livramento flashed a right-footer from just inside the Millwall penalty area. The ball took two deflections away from goal on its way for a corner.
Skipper Faustino Anjorin should have scored three minutes later when he was unmarked from a corner but headed wide of goal from eight yards out.
Stewards were moved pitch-side across the Shed End where the 1,000 Millwall fans were congregated.The suspicion that they may enter the pitch, was unfounded, and while they were vocal, they were largely good-humoured.
Broja thought he had scored with a spectacular bicycle kick on 19 minutes but referee Tom Reeves judged that he performed a dangerous action and injured Ben Bennett in the process.
The fullback was treated on the pitch for five minutes before being stretchered off.
He was replaced by Ezekiel Miller on 24 minutes.
Broja missed another sitter on 32 minutes after a brilliant long run by Lewis Bate set the forward up with the simplest of chances to tuck the ball home from close range. But he somehow conspired to miscue his shot and put the ball wide.
Millwall first effort came two minutes later following a corner where Alex Mitchell headed wide.
There were no changes by either side at half-time.
The second half again saw the home side dominate possession, without creating clear-cut chances. A wayward Broja header a classic example of how the Blues were not finishing off their chances.
Millwall, to their credit had a game plan of trying to keep it tight while hoping for counter-attack success.
Dion Rankine entered the fray, replacing injured Levi Colwill, who was also stretchered off.
Broja scored within seconds of the restart of the match, latching onto a deep free-kick, the striker trapped the ball before smashing home with a rasping left-footer past Leighton Fanshawe.
The goal silenced the otherwise vocal 1,000 Millwalls fans.
Fanshawne denied Anjorin by diving to his left post and deflected the drive for a corner.
Millwall brought on Tyrese Briscoe for Alfie Allen.
There was a late shout for a Millwall penalty when Sean O’Brien hit the deck in the Chelsea penalty area in the closing seconds but Reeves waved away the protests.
Teams: Chelsea; Askew, Lawrence, Simes, Colwell, Maatsen, Bate, Livramento, Simons, Broja, Anjorin, Lewis,
Subs; McClellend, Wade, Humphries, Ballo, Harris, Rankine, Fiabema
Millwall: Fanshawe, Bennett, Ezennohm, Munting, Mitchell, Muller, Barton, Allen, Abdulmalik, O’Brien, Boateng
Subs; Miller, Gilmore, Bate, Penney, Brokke, Walker, Briscoe
Referee: Tom Reeves
