Football: ‘Beating Chelsea to final incredible’

SWANSEA: Swansea will be playing in their first major final when they tackle fourth division Bradford at Wembley on February 24 after they beat Chelsea 2-0 on aggregate in the semi-final.

“To be in a final for the first time is absolutely fantastic,” said Swansea boss Michael Laudrup.

“To have beaten the European champions over two games, it’s really incredible, without conceding a goal. There have been times in these two games when they have dominated, but that’s what you expect players of that level to do. They knew they had to score two goals, but knew as well if they pushed too far forward we could score on the break. They tried to do it. In many ways, it was a game like the first one. They lost the belief they could do it after the red card. Today, you could see when Hazard was sent off they were finished.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2013.