Chelsea qualified for the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2014 as they managed to edge past FC Porto 2-1 on aggregate.
Mehdi Taremi’s wonderful overhead kick in the dying moments of the second leg was not enough as Chelsea’s first leg victory proved to be the difference maker in the end.
Porto came out with a purpose, looking to turn the tie around after losing the first leg 2-0. However, the lack of quality in the final third cost the Portuguese champions as they failed to register a shot on target until the 66th minute, when Edouard Mendy was forced into action by subsitute Taremi’s header.
Chelsea looked extremely lackluster and out of the game and did not register a shot on target either, in the first half.
The Blues, however, did not look threatened by Porto and the Portuguese side certainly did not look like they would be able to score twice against them.
It took an incredible and acrobatic overhead kick by Iranian striker Taremi to give Porto the victory but it was all too late.
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell’s first leg goals proved to be enough as Thomas Tuchel’s side get ready to face Real Madrid or Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League semifinals.
Porto were incredibly energetic, pressing Chelsea high up the pitch from the first minute, but their only half chance came when Mendy’s poor kick out found Jesus Manuel Corona, whose shot was blocked by an alert Jorginho.
Porto, who upset Juventus in the last 16 in dramatic fashion, were extremely enterprising in the second half as well, but Chelsea had a fine chance to extend their aggregate lead on the counter as an unmarked Christian Pulisic failed to meet Ben Chilwell’s cut-back from 10 yards out, cleanly.
Pulisic was Chelsea’s best player but Chelsea’s negative approach of trying to take the sting out of Porto, made him stand out less. The American drew 11 fouls, which was more than all other Chelsea players combined.
Christian Pulisic (10) was Chelsea’s man of the match. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Chelsea’s hopes of winning the Champions League for a second time are within reach now and can definitely beat either Real Madrid or Liverpool in the semifinal.
The Blues have now reached the Champions League semifinals for the eighth time, which is more than any other English club in the competition’s history.
Thomas Tuchel is optimistic about his Blues side saying, “We will become a strong side.
“We could not finish it off with a goal so we had to hang in there.”
“In general I like not to play against teams from your same league in the Champions League as it gives more of a feeling of a European competition but that is the only thing,” Tuchel said.
“The Liverpool tie is far from over but I will watch it for sure.
“It is a pleasure to watch it as a semi-finalist, which is a great achievement. We will watch these games and everything is possible. Liverpool are very strong at home so we take what we get. It is a good situation for us.”
Although Tuchel spoke about Liverpool, Real Madrid are the favourites to go through after a 3-1 victory in Madrid in the first leg. It will be extremely difficult for the Reds to win by a 2-goal margin.
