Kai Havertz’s saved penalty helped Chelsea progress to the Champions League quarter-finals as they overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on combination.
Havertz despatched his first effort in opposition to the submit after Marius Wolf was penalized for the handball, however a restart was ordered because of an encroachment and the Germany worldwide stored his cool, selecting the identical spot and changing on the second try (53).
Raheem Sterling earlier leveled the mixture tie with a strong strike from the middle of the field from Ben Chilwell’s cutback (43) after a optimistic begin from the hosts at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, buoyed by Saturday’s well-deserved 1-0 win over Leeds within the Premier League, got here into the sport having scored simply twice of their earlier seven video games however ultimately discovered a spike in entrance of aim, the victory retaining his European dream alive. and relieve a number of the stress on head coach Graham Potter.
For Dortmund, the choice to award Havertz the penalty after which permit him to take it again left a bitter style. “It is a yard or two away,” mentioned handball midfielder Jude Bellingham. “That in itself was disappointing, however the truth that they acquired a canopy is a joke.
“For each penalty with such a gradual climb, there will likely be an encroachment of individuals operating into the field of a few yard, however that is the sport. They made the choice. We’ve to dwell with it.”
How Chelsea fought in opposition to Dortmund
After a 10-minute delay for kick-off because of site visitors round Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have been shortly on the entrance foot, with Joao Felix seeing off a charged first effort from Alexander Meyer earlier than Havertz fired wildly when he was placed on aim.
Dortmund weathered the early storm and went shut when a Marco Reus free-kick pressured an acrobatic save from Kepa Arrizabalaga, however Chelsea shortly regained the higher hand.
They moved the ball ahead with pace and candor and, regardless of some carelessness in possession, the strategy noticed them create a succession of probabilities within the first half, with Havertz smashing a shot contained in the submit that whistled throughout the aim line.
Havertz then thought he had opened the scoring when a second effort thundered below the bar after Sterling was denied by Meyer, however the linesman raised his flag, VAR exhibiting Sterling was simply offside within the preparation.
It regarded like a well-recognized story for Chelsea, much more so when unmarked Kalidou Koulibaly kicked a Chilwell nook badly with Meyer blocked, and Felix then had his follow-up effort blocked.
However the breakthrough lastly got here when Chilwell sped into Dortmund’s field down the left and clipped the ball for Sterling, who fired residence on the second try after initially failing to make a correct connection together with his shot.
Dortmund’s Marco Reus challenges Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea have been indebted to Chilwell once more when he confirmed spectacular vigilance on the different finish to stop Raphael Guerreiro from scoring simply earlier than the break, and their second got here shortly after play resumed after half -time.
Dortmund felt the penalty was harsh given Wolf’s closeness to Chilwell when the winger’s tried cross hit his hand, however referee Danny Makkelie was unmoved by their protests after consulting the sphere aspect monitor.
Chelsea have been then given a reprieve when a replay was ordered for encroachment by gamers on each side after Havertz despatched his effort in opposition to the submit, however he completed clinically together with his second, as soon as once more stuttering his run as he selected the identical. place.
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Tim Sherwood was shocked after seeing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham miss narrowly in opposition to Chelsea
Dortmund had the higher of it after that as they tried to salvage a aim and power further time, however Chelsea held off stress from the guests, with Jude Bellingham sending an excellent likelihood and Wolf seeing off a diagonal effort saved by Kepa.
Ultimately, the mixture one-goal benefit proved sufficient for the hosts, with a delighted Potter becoming a member of the celebrations on the pitch afterwards, with victory retaining their hopes of Champions League glory alive regardless of their struggles within the Premier League.
Chelsea’s Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot
Potter: Improbable feeling after an emotional victory
Chelsea boss Graham Potter mentioned BT Sports activities: “There’s quite a lot of emotion on the finish. It was tense on the finish however the boys performed fantastically. I am delighted they acquired the win and good for everybody right here.
“There was a implausible feeling within the dressing room. We have been by means of a tricky time and this competitors means loads to us. We wished to progress and get into the final eight and that prepares us for the following few weeks.
“We have to recuperate and put together for Saturday after we face Leicester. It is nice for the boys, two clear sheets after a tricky time. You get that in life and it is about the way you react and the gamers have been implausible.
Wesley Fofana helped Chelsea defeat Borussia Dortmund
“It was essential to place the stress on them and produce the gang with us. It is not simple to do as a result of they’re a high group who play with confidence.
“Due to the gamers, they gave their all and in each video games I assumed we deserved to undergo.”
Requested what he knew about Havertz’s determination to retake his penalty, he added: “Not an enormous quantity to be trustworthy. I knew they’d encroached.
“It was between him or Reece [to take it]. Typically they must really feel it on the pitch. Clearly, we belief Kai. I wasn’t taking a look at him however delighted after I heard the roar. Taking penalties is not for me, so I am in awe of everybody [who does].”
Bellingham: Penalty replay was a joke
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellinghamspeaking to BT Sports activities on the penalty determination: “I have never seen the incident once more, from the place I used to be it appeared fairly shut, I do not know what extra you are able to do together with your arms.”
After watching the replay, he added: “It is a yard or two away. I am not too positive. I do not wish to get in bother. That was disappointing in itself, however the truth that they acquired a rerun is a joke.
“For each penalty with such a gradual run, there will likely be an encroachment of individuals operating into the field for a few yard, however that is the sport. They made the choice and now we have to dwell with it.”
Terzic: We won’t complain
Boss of Borussia Dortmund Edin Terzic mentioned: “Congratulations to Chelsea. I feel it was a really shut sport. In video games like these, inches or moments resolve whether or not you undergo to the following spherical or not.
“There have been instances after we have been unfortunate however that is additionally a part of the sport so we can’t complain.
“I feel each groups deserved to go to the following spherical however tonight Chelsea scored twice, we did not so we will not complain about being kicked out of the Champions League.
“If a call takes about 5 or 6 minutes, it is not simple to decide,” he added of the choice to order the penalty retake.
“However because the supervisor of the group, I’m chargeable for the efficiency of the group and the efficiency of the workers, however not for the efficiency of the referee. We have not talked loads in regards to the referee the final week and we received “I am not beginning with this tonight.”
One other Chelsea comeback – Opta stats
- Chelsea have now progressed 5 Champions League knockout video games after dropping the primary leg, probably the most of any group within the competitors’s historical past (Barcelona, Juventus and Actual Madrid additionally 5).
- Chelsea boss Graham Potter turned the second English supervisor to win 5 video games in a single Champions League marketing campaign, with Bobby Robson at Newcastle in 2002-03.
- Chelsea have scored greater than as soon as in matches for the primary time in 13 appearances in all competitions since beating Bournemouth 2-0 within the Premier League in December.
- Borussia Dortmund have now misplaced their final six away video games in opposition to English sides within the Champions League, since beating Arsenal 2-1 in October 2013.
- With 5 photographs and two probabilities created, Kai Havertz was immediately concerned in additional than half of Chelsea’s 13 photographs in opposition to Borussia Dortmund on this sport.
What’s subsequent for Chelsea?
Chelsea return to the Premier League with a visit to Leicester Metropolis on Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.
The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals will happen on March 17, the house and away matches will likely be performed on April 11, 12 and April 18, 19.
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