Raheem Sterling’s semi-final goal curse remains unbroken, even as Chelsea secured a resounding victory against Middlesbrough. In this Carabao Cup semi-final second leg clash, Sterling showcased his exceptional skills, contributing to three of Chelsea’s goals. However, his personal goal drought continues.
Sterling’s impact was undeniable throughout the game. He provided two crucial assists, including a pass to Armando Broja for the opening goal. Unfortunately, Boro captain Jonny Howson intercepted the ball before Broja could convert it into a goal. The second goal came from Sterling’s collaboration with Axel Disasi, whose cut-back was neatly finished by Enzo Fernandez. Disasi himself later found the back of the net, capitalizing on a precise cross from Sterling.
Chelsea’s scoring spree continued with two goals from Cole Palmer and a strike from Noni Madueke. Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers salvaged some pride by scoring a late consolation goal. However, despite his outstanding performance, Sterling couldn’t break his nine-year semi-final goal drought.
The curse began in January 2015 when Sterling played for Liverpool against Chelsea in the same competition. Although he scored an equalizer for the Reds after an Eden Hazard penalty, Sterling failed to score in the second leg, leading to Chelsea’s victory. Since then, he has gone through 21 games and nine long years without finding the back of the net in the semi-final stage.
Most of this goal drought occurred during Sterling’s time at Manchester City. In 15 semi-final matches, including four against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, he failed to score. There were also three goalless games for England, against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup, the Netherlands in the 2019 Nations League, and Denmark at Euro 2020.
Though his semi-final record may be disappointing, Sterling has performed better in finals. He contributed two goals to the 6-0 FA Cup final victory against Watford. While he didn’t score during the 2019 League Cup final against Chelsea, he did convert the winning penalty.
Sterling’s quest for a semi-final goal continues, leaving fans and pundits eager to see if he can break the curse in future matches. For more on this story, visit F5mag.com.