FA Cup Semi-finals live and exclusive on setanta sports this weekend. Both semi final matches will be played at historic Wembley Stadium

TORONTO (April 8, 2010) – Aston Villa and Chelsea meet in the first of two FA Cup semi finals Saturday, April 10 at 12 noon ET/ 9 a.m. PT live and exclusive on Setanta Sports.

The second semi final features Portsmouth versus Premier League rival Tottenham Hotspur Sunday, April 11 at 10:30 a.m. ET/ 7:30 a.m. PT.

Chelsea cruised into the semi finals with a 2-0 sixth round win over Stoke City. The Blues have scored 13 goals in their four FA Cup matches this season while allowing just a single goal. The club is looking for their second consecutive appearance in the final after they captured their fifth FA Cup last season by downing Everton 2-1.

 

The road to the semi final has been a little more bumpy for Aston Villa. The Villains needed a tying goal in the 87th minute of their fifth round match with Crystal Palace to force a replay. Villa put Palace away at Villa Park to advance.

Tottenham’s journey to the semi final proved the most difficult of any of the final four. Spurs needed replays in each of the last three rounds to subdue Leeds United, Bolton and Fulham respectively. The fourth round match-up with Leeds was the most nerve-wracking as Tottenham needed a three goal performance from Jermain Defoe in a 3-1 win at Elland Road.

A win by Portsmouth will return the club to the FA Cup final for the second time in three seasons. Pompey won the 2008 FA Cup final with 1-0 win over Cardiff City. The club is almost certainly slated for relegation from the Premier League to the Championship for the start of the 2010-11 season giving the club additional incentive to play spoilers in The FA Cup.