2015 Football League Cup Final

2015 Football League Cup Final

Chelsea Tottenham Hotspur 2 0
Event	2014–15 Football League Cup
Date	1 March 2015 (2015-03-01)
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Attendance	89,294
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The 2015 Football League Cup Final was a football match that took place on 1 March 2015 at Wembley Stadium, London. It was the final match of the 2014–15 Football League Cup, the 55th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League.

It was played between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in a repeat of the 2008 Football League Cup Final, which the latter team won. Chelsea won 2–0 in the 2015 final, with a goal from captain John Terry at the end of the first half, and a second from an own goal by Kyle Walker, who deflected in a Diego Costa shot in the 56th minute. It was Chelsea's fifth League Cup win, and their first silverware in the second managerial spell of José Mourinho at the club.

Background

Chelsea were playing in their seventh League Cup final, having won four, most recently in 2007. Their most recent appearance in the final was the first at Wembley, which they lost in 2008 to Tottenham. The game was Chelsea's first domestic cup final since their victory in the 2012 FA Cup Final. Incumbent Chelsea manager José Mourinho was in charge in their League Cup wins in 2005 and 2007, and squad members Petr Čech, John Terry and Didier Drogba played in both finals, with the latter scoring in both victories.

Tottenham will be making their eighth appearance in the final, having won four previous times, last of which was in 2008. The 2008 final was the first at Wembley and was won against Chelsea. Tottenham's most recent appearance was a defeat against Manchester United in a penalty shootout the following year. Of their squad in the 2014–15 season, captain Younès Kaboul was an extra-time substitute in their 2008 victory, while Aaron Lennon – on loan at Everton at the time of the 2015 final – started that match and the defeat in 2009.

The two teams also played at the old Wembley in the 1967 FA Cup Final, which Tottenham won 2–1. Tottenham's most recent appearance at Wembley was also against Chelsea, a 5–1 defeat in an FA Cup semi-final in 2012.

By the time of the final, Chelsea and Tottenham had already played each other twice during the league season. On 3 December 2014, Chelsea hosted a 3–0 win, with goals from Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba and substitute Loïc Rémy, despite missing leading scorer Diego Costa through suspension. Tottenham won the reverse fixture 5–3 only 29 days later, with Harry Kane scoring twice among further goals from Danny Rose, Andros Townsend (penalty) and Nacer Chadli.

Route to the final

Main article: 2014–15 Football League Cup

Chelsea

Chelsea, of the Premier League, began their League Cup campaign in the third round, where they were drawn at home against Bolton Wanderers of the Championship. Defender Kurt Zouma, making his debut, opened the scoring, but Bolton equalised six minutes later through a Matt Mills header. Ten minutes after the start of the second half, Oscar put Chelsea back into the lead and they won 2–1, dominating the match with 28 shots to Bolton's 3.

In the fourth round, Chelsea travelled to the New Meadow to face Shrewsbury Town of League Two. Three minutes after play resumed from a goalless first half, Didier Drogba's half-volley gave Chelsea the lead, but Shrewsbury gained an equaliser from substitute Andy Mangan. With nine minutes to play, Chelsea regained the advantage when Shrewsbury defender Jermaine Grandison deflected a shot from Willian.

Chelsea again were the away team to a lower opponent in the quarter-finals, facing Derby County of the Championship. In the first half, Eden Hazard gave Chelsea the lead, later doubled by a Filipe Luís free kick, the full-back's first for Chelsea. Craig Bryson halved the deficit for Derby, but soon afterwards defender Jake Buxton was sent off for a foul on Loïc Rémy and André Schürrle scored the final goal of a 3–1 Chelsea win. In the semi-final, Chelsea beat Liverpool 2–1 on aggregate after Branislav Ivanović scored the winning goal in the first half of extra time in the second leg, heading in Willian's free kick.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham, also of the Premier League, began by facing Nottingham Forest at White Hart Lane. After a goalless first half, Jorge Grant gave the visitors from the Championship the lead in the 65th minute. Substitute Ryan Mason equalised six minutes later, and Spurs eventually won 3–1 after two late goals from Roberto Soldado and another substitute, Harry Kane.

Tottenham hosted another second-tier opponent in the fourth round, Brighton & Hove Albion, and went into the lead through Érik Lamela, a half-time replacement for Aaron Lennon. Kane later confirmed a 2–0 victory.

In the quarter-finals, Tottenham again played at home, against top-flight Newcastle United. Away goalkeeper Jak Alnwick made a mistake which allowed Nabil Bentaleb to give Spurs a half-time lead. Nacer Chadli doubled it 36 seconds into the second half. Kane and his replacement Soldado also scored in the 4–0 victory. Tottenham's semi-final against League One club Sheffield United started with a 1–0 home win, Andros Townsend converting a penalty won by Jay McEveley's handball. A week later in the second leg at Bramall Lane, Tottenham doubled their aggregate lead with Christian Eriksen's free kick, but in the second half 18-year-old substitute Che Adams scored twice to equalise the aggregate. With two minutes remaining, Eriksen scored his second to put Tottenham into the final.

Match

Officials

Anthony Taylor was the referee for the final. It was his first match involving Chelsea since December 2014, when he erroneously booked Cesc Fàbregas for diving when he had been fouled by Southampton's Matt Targett; Taylor apologised to Chelsea for that decision.

Pre-match

Tottenham were eliminated from the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League by Fiorentina three days before the final, leading manager Mauricio Pochettino to say that the team needed to recover quickly.

Chelsea manager José Mourinho used his pre-match interview to state that his previous wins in the tournament had changed the way that clubs approach the League Cup: "Lots of teams have followed us since then when we took the League Cup as a real competition, as a real challenge. It is a big competition". He separated the final from the league season, saying "I don't think if we win the cup final we will win the league, or if we lose it we will lose the league". He refused to discuss the suspension of Matić, dismissing it with "If I speak to you about that, I promise you I will be in big trouble". Despite opining that the two teams and the match officials would act fairly, he criticised players who dive, despite not naming any names.

Team selection

Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matić was suspended for the final, due to a two-match ban he received for pushing over Burnley's Ashley Barnes in a league match on 21 February 2015. Another central midfielder for the club, John Obi Mikel, missed the match through a knee injury. Due to Matić's absence, Gary Cahill – usually a central defender – started in central midfield. Chelsea made four other changes from their draw with Burnley: Petr Čech started in goal in place of Thibaut Courtois, Cesar Azpilicueta at left-back instead of Filipe Luís, and Ramires and Willian came into the midfield at the expense of Juan Cuadrado and Oscar. Chelsea set up with a three-man attack, with Eden Hazard and Willian wide of Diego Costa.

Tottenham's second-choice goalkeeper Michel Vorm had played all of their fixtures on their way to the final, but was dropped to the bench and replaced with Hugo Lloris for the decisive game. Compared to their defeat at Fiorentina, Tottenham made three changes in defence, with only Jan Vertonghen retaining his place – Vlad Chiricheș, Federico Fazio and Ben Davies were replaced by Kyle Walker, Eric Dier and Danny Rose, with Chiricheș not even featuring on the substitutes' bench. Defensive midfielder Benjamin Stambouli and attacking midfielder Erik Lamela were replaced by Ryan Mason and Andros Townsend respectively, with the lone striker position changing from Roberto Soldado to Harry Kane.

Summary

In the 10th minute, Christian Eriksen had the first shot on target, hitting the crossbar with a free kick for Tottenham. Twenty minutes later, Eric Dier was given the game's first yellow card for a foul on Diego Costa. At the end of the first half, Willian took a free kick, which eventually landed at captain John Terry whose shot — Chelsea's first on target — went past Hugo Lloris due to a deflection by Harry Kane.

Neither side made a substitution at half time. In the 56th minute, Cesc Fàbregas — who had an overhead kick saved by Lloris — set up Diego Costa, whose shot caused an own goal by Kyle Walker which doubled Chelsea's advantage.

Details

1 March 2015 16:00	Chelsea	2–0	Tottenham Hotspur	Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 89,294 Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
	Terry  45' Walker  56' (o.g.)	Report

Chelsea

Tottenham Hotspur

GK 1 Petr Čech RB 2 Branislav Ivanović CB 5 Kurt Zouma CB 26 John Terry (c) LB 28 César Azpilicueta DM 24 Gary Cahill 72' CM 7 Ramires CM 4 Cesc Fàbregas 88' RW 22 Willian 70' 76' LW 10 Eden Hazard CF 19 Diego Costa 90+3' Substitutes: GK 13 Thibaut Courtois DF 3 Filipe Luís DF 6 Nathan Aké MF 8 Oscar 88' MF 23 Juan Cuadrado 85' 76' FW 11 Didier Drogba 90+3' FW 18 Loïc Rémy Manager: José Mourinho

GK 1 Hugo Lloris (c) RB 2 Kyle Walker CB 15 Eric Dier 31' CB 5 Jan Vertonghen LB 3 Danny Rose CM 42 Nabil Bentaleb 78' CM 38 Ryan Mason 71' RW 22 Nacer Chadli 80' AM 23 Christian Eriksen LW 17 Andros Townsend 62' CF 18 Harry Kane Substitutes: GK 13 Michel Vorm DF 21 Federico Fazio DF 33 Ben Davies MF 11 Érik Lamela 71' MF 19 Mousa Dembélé 62' MF 25 Benjamin Stambouli FW 9 Roberto Soldado 80' Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Match officials Assistant referees: Lee Betts (Norfolk) Dave Bryan (Lincolnshire) Fourth official: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire) Reserve assistant referee: Andy Halliday (North Yorkshire)

Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Seven named substitutes, of which three may be used.