Sport
Preview
Chelsea FC cruise into FA Cup final ahead of Aus game
Chelsea have beaten Southampton to secure their place in the FA Cup Final next month.
After enduring a difficult season by their lofty standards, Chelsea have still managed an impressive cup run after cruising past Southampton 2-0, with goals to Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata.
Chelsea will now face Manchester United on 19 May (20 May AEST) at Wembley Stadium in London.
Despite struggling for form at times, Chelsea are still a chance for a top four position and Champions League qualification, now sitting in fifth position, only five points off Tottenham in fourth, with four games remaining in the 2017/18 season.
See them in action down under
The English powerhouse will be arriving in Australia next July, competing in the first ever soccer match at Optus Stadium. Taking place on Monday 23 July, Chelsea FC will be taking on the A-League’s Perth Glory, as they get their preparations for the 2018/19 Premier League season underway down under.
Optus Stadium holds a capacity of 60,000, almost 20,000 more than Chelsea’s home at Stamford Bridge in South West London. Both players and fans alike are sure to remember the experience in this new state-of-the-art stadium for many years, as they make history with the first game in the sport at the stadium.
A historic day for Optus Stadium
Despite only being officially open since the end of January 2018, Optus Stadium has already set several records, hosting both the highest-attended women’s sporting event in Australian history for the clash between Fremantle and Collingwood in the AFLW, as well as Western Australia’s highest ever attended sporting match, as the West Coast Eagles beat Geelong in round three of the 2018 AFL season.
With the 2018/19 season getting underway on 11 August, Chelsea are likely to bring a strong side to Australia, with the clash less than three weeks prior to their opening match. They will be looking to get their next campaign off to a strong start as they seek redemption after winning the title in 2016/17 and dropping off this season as Manchester City took the title off them.
After missing several players for much of the pre-season to the World Cup in June and July, Chelsea will be looking for their side to play together as much as possible, with the likelihood that many of their stars will make the journey down under, ensuring they get games under their belt together before kicking off the Premier League season.
Be there to witness it
Be sure to grab your tickets at Ticketmaster and be a part of this history-making event at Optus Stadium on Monday 23 July.
There’s heaps to do in Perth, so round up your mates and make a weekend of it, and see all that the city has to offer before the game on Monday night.
