Chelsea 1-2 Lyon (2-2 on agg, 4-3 on pens): Blues win DRAMATIC quarter-final to knock out holders
Chelsea 1-2 Lyon (2-2 agg, 4-3 on penalties): Blues overcome DRAMATIC Champions League quarter-final on penalties to eliminate champions, after forcing penalty shoot-out with last kick from extra time at Stamford Bridge
- Vanessa Gilles’ 77th-minute goal for Lyon forced extra time at Stamford Bridge
- Midfielder Sara Dabritz scored in the 110th minute for the reigning champions
- But Maren Mjelde’s dramatic penalty went into forced extra-time penalties
Chelsea won a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the Champions League semi-final by knocking out defending champions Lyon after Maren Mjelde equalized with the last extra-time kick.
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who recovered from thyroid cancer for the second time after being diagnosed last summer, was the hero who saved Lindsey Horan and Wendie Renard’s penalties when Mjelde, Sam Kerr, Jessie Fleming and Jess Carter they scored to give the Blues a 4.-3 win.
Chelsea’s progression to the semi-final following Arsenal’s win on Wednesday means it is the first time two clubs from the same city have reached this stage of the competition.
It looked like they were going to be left out of contention after Sara Dabritz put Lyon 2-1 ahead on aggregate in the 120th minute.
But they were given a lifeline when Lauren James stumbled in the box in the dying seconds of extra time. Referee Ivana Martincic did not name the location, but she was sent to review the incident on the VAR monitor.
Chelsea earned a dramatic quarter-final win against Lyon, winning 4-3 on penalties at Stamford Bridge, after a late Maren Mjelde penalty in extra time forced a shootout.
Lyon centre-back Vanessa Gilles leveled the score on aggregate with a brilliant shot
The Canadian’s goal in the 77th minute opened the scoring and forced extra time in London
The official overturned her decision and awarded a penalty. Emma Hayes couldn’t watch, but she instructed her fans to cheer on her player as she stepped forward. Mjelde responded, scoring emphatically in the top left corner. She then converted the first penalty in the shootout.
Chelsea had led 1-0 from the first leg and were 13 minutes from progress, but fell behind when Vanessa Gilles equalized on aggregate with a 77th-minute shot from point-blank range.
It was Lyon who had the momentum in extra time as Cheslea tired and the French champions looked to have scored the winner when Dabritz fired a controlled shot into the bottom right corner.
But Chelsea refused to give up and James’ run was rewarded when he was fouled by substitute Vicki Becho.
Both teams scored their first two penalties before Berger saved Renard to give Chelsea the lead. James then missed to give Lyon a way back when Dabritz leveled.
German midfielder Sara Dabritz scored for Lyon in the 110th minute, putting the visitors ahead
Maren Mjelde scored with the last kick of the game in extra time to force a penalty shootout
Ann-Katrin Berger (pictured) made the decisive save in the shootout, denying Lindsey Horan
Cater scored the final Blues penalty, meaning Horan had to convert to force the sudden death. She failed, as Berger made another fantastic stop to end a historic night at Stamford Bridge.
Hayes said of Berger after the match, “She’s someone who thrives on the big moments.”
He’s done that his entire career. She’s probably the best penalty saver I’ve ever worked with, so I felt very confident going into the shootout, even though she didn’t look it.
‘Every day [in training] everyone always hates facing her. I felt like this was her time after everything she’s been through.
Emma Hayes’s team took a 1-0 lead in the second leg, which was gone at the end