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  • Kick-off: 19:45
  • Venue: Mestalla
  • Attendance: 53000
  • Referee: Vassaras, K

Live Commentary

90mins

Full-Time: VALENCIA 1-2 CHELSEA, the Blues are through to the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

90mins

It's all over for Valencia now, Chelsea have pulled off a superb victory.

90mins

Chelsea bring off Shevchenko and Lampard and Salomon Kalou and Claude Makelele take over.

90mins

VALENCIA 1-2 CHELSEA, Joe Cole turns away from his marker in midfield and feeds Shevchenko, who in turn finds ESSIEN, who drives a low shot past Canizares at his near post.

89mins

Carvalho coolly heads back to Cech to break up a rare Valencia attack.

86mins

Extra-time is just around the corner, four minutes of normal time to go.

84mins

Lampard's free-kick is headed down towards the corner by Ballack and Canizares makes another incredible stop, pushing the ball up and over the crossbar.

82mins

Valencia have lost their way in the second half, but the tie is still evenly poised.

79mins

Joaquin's far-post cross falls to Angulo, but his effort is wide of the goal from 12 yards out.

77mins

The home fans are getting nervous, there's a strange hush around much of the Mestalla.

76mins

Del Horno panics and passes the ball out for a corner to Chelsea.

74mins

Chelsea have taken a hold of the game, a goal now would surely be decisive for the Blues.

72mins

Valencia send on Hugo Viana for the stricken Albiol.

69mins

Albiol stays down after a clash with Lampard in midfield.

68mins

Drogba's flick falls to Joe Cole, but he shoots high and wide from the edge of the area.

67mins

The ball breaks to Drogba 20 yards out, but his effort is too weak and Canizares is down to gather safely.

65mins

Morientes is replaced by Miguel Angel Angulo.

65mins

It's all Chelsea at the moment and the home side will make a change.

62mins

Emiliano Moretti goes into the book for dragging down Drogba.

61mins

Carvalho wastes a crossing chance as Canizares collects with ease.

60mins

Ayala is booked for an elbow on Drogba, he could have been sent off for that.

59mins

Shevchenko belts a shot wide of the far post from 25 yards out, his confidence is rising.

57mins

Canizares collects a poor cross from Ashley Cole from the left touchline.

55mins

Drogba goes off for treatment and limps back on.

53mins

This scoreline would mean extra-time, it's all to play for now.

52mins

VALENCIA 1-1 CHELSEA, Drogba is crowded out in the area following Essien's cross, but SHEVCHENKO is on hand to drive the ball home from close range.

51mins

Roberto Ayala brings down Drogba, David Albelda is booked for arguing.

50mins

Miguel gets in a dangerous ball from the right, but it drifts harmlessly across the area.

49mins

Lampard brings down Raul Albiol, but escapes without a caution.

48mins

Joe Cole has gone out on the left flank, maybe he can bring a bit more flair to Chelsea.

46mins

Joe Cole has replaced Diarra and Essien is back at right-back.

46mins

Chelsea get the second half underway.

45mins

Half-Time: VALENCIA 1-0 CHELSEA.

45mins

Ballack attempts a snap-shot after Canizares wanders off his line, it's well off-target.

45mins

Two minutes of added time to play.

45mins

Del Horno crashes into Shevchenko and earns himself a caution.

43mins

Mourinho has Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips on the bench, a half-time change seems highly likely.

40mins

Drogba meets Ashley Cole's ball in from the left with a perfect header, but Canizares makes an amazing save high to his left.

39mins

Drogba wins a corner on the left, he needs more support from Shevchenko and co.

38mins

Joaquin is starting to look dangerous on the Valencia right.

36mins

Lampard tries his luck from 35 yards after a fine run by Carvalho, the shot drifts high and wide.

34mins

Morientes almost adds a second as Villa's ball from the left reaches the far post, Chelsea are on the rack now.

32mins

VALENCIA 1-0 CHELSEA, Joaquin drifts in a cross from the right and the unmarked MORIENTES makes no mistake with his left foot this time.

30mins

Valencia launch a quick counter and Morientes thunders a left-footer against an upright from the edge of the area, with Petr Cech stranded.

26mins

Chelsea are trying to hit Drogba with long balls forward, they desperately need some width to open up the home defence.

24mins

It's tight, it's technical, it's the magic of the Champions League, or it's just plain old boring.

21mins

Ballack was booked in a flare-up that followed that corner.

21mins

Michael Ballack's header is straight at Santiago Canizares, meanwhile United have made it 3-0.

19mins

Cheslea haven't found their rhythm yet, Man Utd are already 2-0 up at Old Trafford against AS Roma.

17mins

Ricardo Carvalho meets Frank Lampard's corner but directs his effort wide of the far post.

15mins

Still no goalmouth action to report, remember Chelsea have to score to have any chance of going through.

12mins

Drogba gets a whack in the face and the referee eventually stops play to allow some treatment.

11mins

Drogba wins Chelsea's first corner of the game right over on the right flank.

10mins

Mourinho is already off the bench and barking out instructions.

8mins

Lassana Diarra gives away possession and Villa wins the first corner of the game. The Blues get the flag-kick away from danger.

7mins

No fireworks as yet, just a bit of midfield jousting.

5mins

Villa is down injured after a tackle from Mikel and looks to be in a lot of pain.

3mins

Essien crashes into Morientes and gets an early yellow card, he'll miss the next game if Chelsea progress.

2mins

Drogba wins an early free-kick following a tackle by former Blue Asier del Horno.

1mins

Valencia get the game underway.

0mins

Los Che have Fernando Morientes back to partner David Villa in attack.

0mins

Michael Essien returns in midfield for Jose Mourinho's side, with John Obi Mikel also starting.

0mins

The first leg at Stamford Bridge ended 1-1, with Didier Drogba rescuing a draw for the Blues.

0mins

Chelsea travel to Spain needing a win or a high-scoring draw to reach the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Valencia.

Match Report

Michael Essien fired in a dramatic last-minute clincher as Chelsea won 2-1 at Valencia to seal a 3-2 Champions League quarter-final aggregate triumph.

Essien had returned to Jose Mourinho's side after injury, with John Obi Mikel also starting in midfield, while the home side welcomed back Fernando Morientes to partner David Villa in attack.

The opening minutes saw little action in either penalty area, however, with half an hour played the home side woke up and following a quick counter Morientes thundered a left-foot strike against an upright from the edge of the area with Petr Cech stranded.

Two minutes later Morientes made no mistake, firing home left-footed from six yards after Joaquin's ball in from the right had been allowed to drift over towards the far post.

It was almost 2-0 two minutes further on as Villa's ball from the left reached the far post and Ashley Cole made a superb block from Morientes' shot.

Five minutes before the break Didier Drogba almost snatched an equaliser, meeting Cole's cross from the left with a perfect header, but Santiago Canizares made an amazing save high to his left to preserve his side's lead.

Mourinho brought on Joe Cole at the interval to shake things up and seven minutes later the tie was level at 2-2.

Drogba was crowded out in the area following Essien's cross from the right, but Andriy Shevchenko was on hand to drive the ball home from close range.

That setback seemed to totally unsettle Valencia and the visitors began to run the show, with Drogba drawing a save from Canizares midway through the half with a low 20-yard effort.

Substitute Miguel Angel Angulo threatened 11 minutes from time, before Canizares produced his second stunning save of the game with six minutes left, pushing the ball up and over the crossbar after Michael Ballack had headed Frank Lampard's free-kick down towards the far corner of the net.

That looked like being enough to send the tie into extra-time, but, in stoppage time, Joe Cole turned away from his marker in midfield and fed Shevchenko, who in turn found Essien, who advanced and drove a low shot past Canizares at his near post to snatch a dramatic victory.

Valencia

Chelsea

Corners

48

Fouls

229

Goal attempts

818

Shots off target

310

Offsides

15

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