Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Ba-rilliant! Mourinho masterminds miracle as super sub Demba scores dramatic late winner to book Chelsea's place in semi-final

Ba CHELSEA 2-0 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (Agg: 3-3; Chelsea through on away goals): Chelsea are in the semi-finals of the Champions League after a dramatic, scrappy late goal from former West Ham striker Demba Ba at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won the second leg 2-0, with both goals coming from subs - German Andre Schurrle hit the first after replacing their Eden Hazard. Then Ba's 88th minute goal put them through on away goals after the tie finished 3-3 on aggregate. They lost the first leg 3-1 in Paris but now enter Friday's last four draw.
Defining moment: Substitute Demba Ba slides home Chelsea's second goal to secure a semi-final place
Winner: Demba Ba celebrates after scoring the goal that sent Chelsea into the semi-finals
Winner: Demba Ba celebrates after scoring the goal that sent Chelsea into the semi-final
There he goes: Jose Mourinho races along the touchline after Chelsea added a second, crucial goal
There he goes: Jose Mourinho races along the touchline after Chelsea added a second, crucial goal
Instructions: Mourinho spoke to his players as they defended their lead in the dying minutes
Instructions: Mourinho spoke to his players as they defended their lead in the dying minutes
Jose Mourinho raced to celebrate with his Chelsea players
Jose Mourinho joined in the celebrations
Joining in: Jose Mourinho raced from the bench to instruct his players after Chelsea's late goal
Despair: Paris Saint-Germain's Alex (centre) and his team-mates stand dejected after conceding
Despair: Paris Saint-Germain's Alex (centre) and his team-mates stand dejected after conceding
MATCH FACTS
Chelsea: Cech 8.5, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 6.5, Luiz 6.5, Lampard 7 (Ba 66, 7), Willian 7.5, Oscar 6.5 (Torres 81), Hazard 5 (Schurrle 18, 8), Eto'o 6.5. Subs Not Used: Schwarzer, Cole, Mikel, Kalas.
Booked: Willian, Lampard, Ivanovic, Luiz.
Goals: Schurrle 32, Ba 87.
PSG: Sirigu 6.5, Jallet 6.5, Alex 7, Thiago Silva 7, Maxwell 6.5, Verratti 6 (Cabaye 54, 6.5), Thiago Motta 7, Matuidi 6.5, Lucas Moura 6.5 (Marquinhos 84), Cavani 6.5, Lavezzi 7.5 (Pastore 72).
Subs Not Used: Douchez, Menez, Digne, Van Der Wiel.
Booked: Verratti, Cavani, Lucas Moura, Maxwell.
Ref: Pedro Proenca (Portugal).
Ratings from SAMI MOKBEL at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea have come back from 3-1 down before in this competition, but not at this late stage and not against a team as gifted as Paris Saint-Germain. For a manager with no strikers, Mourinho had rather a lot of them on by the end. Three, to be precise.
European semi-finals with Chelsea are never anything less than dramatic - from the travesty at home to Barcelona to the little miracle away - and this was no exception. Yet while, in the past, it has been referees that have denied Chelsea - here their main opponent appeared to be the crossbar. Twice in a minute they hit it at the start of the first-half - and either would have been enough to send them through.
In the 52nd minute, a flowing exchange of passes ended with Oscar playing the ball out to Willian on the right. The Brazilian cut the ball back to Andre Schurrle who smashed his shot against the crossbar with goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu beaten. The ball came out and Lucas clumsily fouled Samuel Eto'o. A free-kick was awarded 25 yards out. Oscar took it and - crossbar again. Sirigu was truly leading a charmed life. At that moment the momentum was wholly with Chelsea. It was barely believable that, 20 minutes later, the score was still 1-0 and Paris were clinging on.
Blow: Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard was forced off with a thigh injury early in the first half
Blow: Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard was forced off with a thigh injury early in the first half
Setback: Hazard takes the applause of the crowd as he is forced off just minutes into the second leg
Setback: Hazard takes the applause of the crowd as he is forced off just minutes into the second leg
Hazard is replaced by Andre Schurle at Chelsea
Hazard is replaced by Andre Schurle at Chelsea
Early change: Hazard is replaced by Andre Schurle as Chelsea are forced into making a first-half substitution
Ivanovic blow for Mourinho
Branislav Ivanovic will miss the first leg of Chelsea's semi-final after picking up a booking at Stamford Bridge.
Schurrle, as in the first-half, was at the heart of all that was good about Chelsea and in the 68th minute he had another chance. Ba won the headed flick and the German hared across the edge of the penalty area, chasing down the loose ball and firing off a shot that Sirigu saved.
Meanwhile, as Chelsea risked more in search of the elusive second, so Paris found more gaps. Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani both came close having got in behind the back four, and Lavezzi produced one of the saves of the night from Petr Cech, an acrobatic effort to keep out a curling free-kick from an acute left-side angle. Later, with 10 minutes remaining, he held a low Lucas shot to keep Chelsea in the game.
On hand: PSG keeper Salvatore Sirigu saves a free kick from Frank Lampard in the first half
On hand: PSG keeper Salvatore Sirigu saves a free kick from Frank Lampard in the first half
Opener: Andre Schurrle fires home for Chelsea as they take the lead against PSG at Stamford Bridge
Opener: Andre Schurrle fires home for Chelsea as they take the lead against PSG at Stamford Bridge
Helpless: PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu can only watch as Shurrle's strike finds its way into the net
Helpless: PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu can only watch as Shurrle's strike finds its way into the net
Not done yet: Schurrle celebrates with his Chelsea team-mates after opening the scoring
Not done yet: Schurrle celebrates with his Chelsea team-mates after opening the scoring
Wayward: Gary Cahill slices the ball over the bar as Chelsea push forward
Wayward: Gary Cahill slices the ball over the bar as Chelsea push forward
What was that? John Terry gives Cahill a look after the defender blazed over from a good positionWhat was that? John Terry gives Cahill a look after the defender blazed over from a good position
It was a discomforting first 30 minutes for Chelsea. So much work to do and they barely laid a glove on Paris. Not that Laurent Blanc's team presented much of a threat. They exchanged passes, sharply, with counter attacking intent, but failed to get through to Cech's goal. The final ball was overhit or mislaid, Chelsea's defence back to its resilient best at home.
The problem was that Chelsea offered little more. In the ninth minute, Eden Hazard made to cross and left two Paris defenders on the floor. He played the ball in, and Eto'o had a shot blocked for a corner, which amounted to nothing. And that really was it for the opening half hour, apart from a piece of bad luck many thought would decide the game.
Missing out: Zlatan Ibrahimovic takes his seat at Stamford Bridge to watch his side take on Chelsea
Missing out: Zlatan Ibrahimovic takes his seat at Stamford Bridge to watch his side take on Chelsea
Watching brief: Ibrahimovic was forced to miss the second leg through injury
Watching brief: Ibrahimovic was forced to miss the second leg through injury
Old friends? Ibrahimovic shakes hands with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho
Old friends? Ibrahimovic shakes hands with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho
Sent flying: Willian went in hard on Lucas as Chelsea took the game to the visitors
Sent flying: Willian went in hard on Lucas as Chelsea took the game to the visitors
Caution: Willian was shown an early yellow card for a blatant foul on Lucas
Caution: Willian was shown an early yellow card for a blatant foul on Lucas
Hazard, so often the difference for Chelsea this season, had not been travelling well for several minutes, when Mourinho bought matters to a head. Say what you like about his methods but few managers make a firm touchline call like Mourinho. He gave Hazard the option of continuing and receiving an uncertain reply, wasted no time: off came the talisman, on went Schurrle. The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge fell a little flat. Schurrle has had his moments this season - not least that hat-trick against Fulham - but he is no Hazard. What happened next, then, was something of an irony.
Chelsea enjoyed their best spell of the, crowned by a Schurrle goal. Funny how things work out. Where Hazard had clearly been carrying his injury, Schurrle brought energy and dynamism to the left flank. He was part of the move that helped win a 29th minute free-kick - and from that moment Chelsea did not look back.

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