• Champions League

Ivanovic seals comeback as Chelsea reach quarter-finals

ESPN staff
March 14, 2012
Chelsea won a thrilling encounter at Stamford Bridge © PA Photos
Enlarge

Champions League gallery

Chelsea's old guard kept British interest in the Champions League alive as the Blues booked their place in the quarter-finals with a dramatic 4-1 victory over Napoli at Stamford Bridge.

Branislav Ivanovic scored the winner in extra-time after goals from Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard helped overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit to claim a thrilling 5-4 aggregate victory.

After a nervous start by the home side, Drogba kept Chelsea's hopes alive, diving to glance Ramires' searching cross past Morgan De Sanctis.

Drogba came close to making it two just moments later; Daniel Sturridge flashing the ball across the face of De Sanctis' goal, but Hugo Campagnaro managed to get a touch ahead of Drogba to force it away for a corner.

With Chelsea pressing for a second, Napoli broke and Edinson Cavani, who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer, nearly undid Chelsea's hard work, but the Uruguayan dragged his shot wide.

Chelsea headed into the break halfway to overturning the two-goal deficit, but it was not long before the claimed the second goal they needed; Terry's header looping over De Sanctis. Terry's goal made it 3-3 on aggregate, with Chelsea heading through by virtue of the away goal they scored at Stadio San Paolo a fortnight ago.

Chelsea's joy was shortlived, though, as Gokhan Inler drilled a low strike to beat Petr Cech from the edge of the penalty area. Terry could only clear the ball as far as the Turkey international, who teed himself up before unleashing a sweet strike low to Cech's right.

With Chelsea needing a goal to keep themselves in the match, manager Di Matteo made a tactical gamble, bringing on goal-shy striker Fernando Torres for the lively Sturridge. After chances at both ends, Chelsea's lifeline came when Ivanovic's header hit Andrea Dossena's hand. The referee pointed to the spot, and Lampard stepped up, coolly slotting past De Sanctis.

Chelsea were denied a penalty in the dying minutes after Drogba was bundled over by Salvatore Aronica, but with nothing to decide between the sides after 180 minutes of football over two legs, the match headed into extra-time.

Torres, who has now gone 24 hours without scoring, twice had the chance to end his goal drought in dramatic fashion, but in the end the winner came from Ivanovic, who lashed the ball past De Sanctis after Drogba had laid the ball back to the defender on the penalty spot.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid beat CSKA Moscow 4-1 to book their place in the quarter-finals with a 5-2 aggregate victory.

Seydou Doumbia missed a glorious chance to give the visitors the lead inside 10 minutes as he fired over when clean through, but Real slowly started to take control of the game and deservedly took the lead as Gonzalo Higuain slotted home from Kaka's pull-back.

A howler from Sergei Chepchugov allowed the hosts to double their advantage as he spilled Cristiano Ronaldo's long-range shot into his own net 10 minutes after half-time and Karim Benzema slotted home the third at the second attempt with 20 minutes remaining.

Zoran Tosic got a consolation for CSKA with a wonderful strike five minutes later, but Ronaldo sealed the victory with a tap-in after an unselfish pass from Benzema in stoppage time.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close