Chelsea set up Liverpool semi

Eurosport - Wed, 09 Apr 00:43:00 2008

Chelsea will face Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals for the third time in four years after goals from Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard saw them past Fenerbahce at Stamford Bridge.

Trailing 2-1 from the first-leg, Avram's Grant's side started with real purpose and took just three minutes to level the tie on aggregate when Ballack rose to head home Joe Cole's right-wing cross.

Despite dominating possession and creating enough chances to end the contest before half-time, the home side were forced to endure a nervous final quarter before Lampard blasted home in the 87th minute to ensure their progress.

Fenerbahce will look to a superb double-save from Chelsea's substitute goalkeeper Hilario as their best chance to steal an undeserved victory.

With 10 minutes remaining the Portuguese got down to deny substitute Ugur's deflected shot before tipping Colin Kazim-Richards's powerful 25-yard drive over the bar. It was the closest the visitors came to a goal.

Fenerbahce were strangely subdued in the first half and failed to muster a single shot on target. They had come to defend; yet after conceding they appeared unable to adapt their approach. The Turkish side were fortunate to go in at the break just one goal behind.

Minutes after Ballack's towering leap, Chelsea came within inches of a second when Salomon Kalou's near-post cross found Joe Cole. The England midfielder cut across his marker to engineer an opening, but stabbed his shot against the upright.

Soon after Carlo Cudicini was forced to withdraw. With Petr Cech sidelined after a training ground injury, third-choice goalkeeper Hilario took the field.

Chelsea were unquestionably in the ascendancy, but there were worrying signs of defensive fallibility. Diego Lugano and Deivid both found themselves unmarked in the box, but each headed harmlessly wide.

Striker Deivid appeared Fenerbahce's most likely - but even he was reduced to shooting from fully 40 yards as the visitors struggled to penetrate.

As a disjointed second half unfolded, neither side appeared capable of holding possession. Chelsea made and spurned a host of chances, while the Turks were limited to long-range speculative efforts.

After Hilario's crucial intervention, Chelsea finally sealed the tie with three minutes remaining.
Michael Essien broke down the right and teed up Lampard from five yards to bring a welcome sense of relief to the frustrated home support.

After picking up a needless yellow card for throwing the ball away, however, Essien will miss the first leg of their all-English semi-final.

Chelsea will be seeking to defeat Liverpool at the penultimate stage of the Champions League at the third attempt - having lost semi-finals to their Premier League rivals in 2005 and 2007.