Chelsea fought back from a goal down to defeat League One side Lincoln City 2-1 on Tuesday night, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.
The hosts stunned the Premier League giants just before the break when Reeco Street found the back of the net in the 42nd minute, sending the LNER Stadium into wild celebrations. Lincoln looked poised to carry their lead into half-time.
But Chelsea responded swiftly after the restart. Within three minutes of the second half, 18-year-old Tyrique George kept his composure to slot home the equaliser, calming the nerves of the visiting supporters.
The Blues completed their turnaround five minutes later when Argentine midfielder Facundo Buonanotte scored his first goal for the club with a well-placed strike, putting Chelsea in front.
Despite late pressure from Lincoln, Enzo Maresca’s men held firm to secure the victory and advance to the next round.
The win offers Chelsea a valuable boost as they continue to search for consistency in the Premier League and Champions League. The EFL Cup could represent their best opportunity for silverware this season, with the club eyeing a first League Cup triumph since 2015.
Chelsea will now await the quarter-final draw to learn their next opponents.
