Player scores as late charge drama sends out Blues through

Chelsea emerged triumphant over Lyon on charges in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals after requiring a shootout with a 128th minute spot-kick to conclude a tense two-hour slog at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.

Chelsea had a narrow cushion as the video game started, however a late Vanessa Gilles objective squeezed in at the near post required extra-time, prior to Sara Dabritz sought to have sensationally won the tie for the holders in extra-time. But Maren Mjelde had ice in her veins chillier than a Norwegian fjord to transform from 12 backyards right at the death and a VAR-awarded charge.

The shootout was much more tense, however Ann-Katrin Berger made herself a hero with 2 conserves, the 2nd a definitive one to reject American star Lindsey Horan.

Lyon’s Signe Bruun was guilty of taking at a marvelous early opportunity, capitalising on a bad attempted clearance from Magdalena Eriksson however doing not have composure and blazing large. The exact same gamer likewise stopped working to strike the target minutes later on with a harder volley.

Sam Kerr should have actually offered Chelsea more breathing space when Lauren James put her through on objective, however Christiane Endler amounted to it – the ball really captured her complete in the face. The Lyon goalkeeper was quickly in action once again when she tipped a strong James shot over the bar.

Bruun volleyed directly at Ann-Katrin Berger in the closing phases of the very first half and Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor relied on Ada Hegerberg for the 2nd 45 – the renowned Norwegian just made her long-awaited return as an alternative at the weekend.

As the visitors penetrated seeking to level the aggregate score-line, Chelsea looked susceptible in such a way that they hadn’t actually in the very first half. Eriksson ran the risk of being captured on the ball in a fumbling match with Danielle van de Donk, while Hegerberg was threatening to tune her radar.

With the video game ticking into the last quarter, things ended up being bitty, which fit Chelsea, although Melanie Leupolz getting prolonged treatment for a bloody nose was definitely not an enjoyable sight.

But simply as it looked like the tie would abate, Lyon got their development. For all the technical quality on the pitch, it was a rather scrappy near post tap-in from Gilles. The Canadian got in front of Eriksson to get in touch with Lindsey Horan’s cross and Berger couldn’t keep it out.

Chelsea upped the tempo and intensity after that to try and avoid extra-time at the end of what has already been a hugely busy month – this was game seven in March – but there was no breakthrough.

Extra-time was dominated by a clear fatigue from both sides, exhausted from what had preceded. And it was tiredness in the Chelsea ranks that perhaps sealed their fate, failing to deal with a teasing Hegerberg cross from the right – Eriksson swung and missed – and handing Dabritz the chance to fire a scruffy low shot back across goal into the bottom corner.

Chelsea were furious in stoppage time at the end of extra-time when James went down under pressure from Vicki Becho. The referee was un-moved, but a VAR intervention sent Ivana Martincic over to the pitch-side monitor, pointing to the spot after a lengthy check. Mjelde had nerves of absolute steel to send the ball high into the corner beyond the reach of Endler.

Penalty shootout

Chelsea: Mjelde (scored), Kerr (scored), Fleming (scored), James (missed), Carter (scored)

Lyon: Marozsan (scored), Hegerberg (scored), Renard (missed), Dabritz (scored), Horan (missed)

GK: Ann-Katrin Berger – 8/10 – Got a hand to the Gilles goal but could not keep it out. Probably would have expected to be busier outside the shootout but then showed her quality by saving two.

RB: Eve Perisset – 7/10 – Careful with the ball and a good outlet on the right. Forced off injured.

CB: Kadeisha Buchanan – 7/10 – Faced different kinds of challenges from Bruun to Hegerberg.

CB: Magdalena Eriksson (c) – 4/10 – Struggled more than once and appeared to be the weak link in the Chelsea back-line. Not able to get across to Gilles and missed a clearance before Dabrtiz scored.

LB: Jess Carter – 7/10 – Had a solid night overall against a variety of threats.

CM: Erin Cuthbert -7 /10 – Worked so hard just as you expect from her, but fatigue showed later on.

CM: Melanie Leupolz – 7/10 – A gruesome facial injury prematurely ended her night. it had been a disciplined and combative performance up to that point.

CM: Guro Reiten – 6/10 – Often gave the ball away trying to make things happens. Furious with James at one point for not laying the ball off on the counter.

RW: Niamh Charles – 7/10 – Struggled to impact the video game in an attacking sense however did so much work off the ball for her team.

ST: Lauren James – 8/10 – Looked the Chelsea player most likely to create something, but arguably guilty of wanting to do it all herself at times. Won the last gasp penalty. Missed in the shootout.

LW: Sam Kerr – 6/10 – Probably should have scored when one-on-one with Endler in the first half and failed to hit the target with others. Got crowded out too many times.

Substitutes

SUB: Sophie Ingle (71′ for Leupolz) – 6/10

SUB: Maren Mjelde (73′ for Perisset) – 6/10

SUB: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (91′ for Reiten) – 5/10

SUB: Jessie Fleming (111′ for Cuthbert) – N/A

Manager

Emma Hayes – 7/10 – Had to start without Millie Bright again. This game really tested the depth of her squad again and there were a lot of tired legs on show towards the end.

GK: Christiane Endler – 7/10 – Made important saves in the first half that stopped Chelsea running up the aggregate score-line. Commanding in the final stages too.

RB: Ellie Carpenter – 6/10 – Supplied decent delivery from the right and was strong in the tackle.

CB: Vanessa Gilles – 8/10 – Scored the goal that sent the tie to extra-time with a surprisingly composed finish. Strong defensively.

CB: Wendie Renard – 8/10 – Repelled everything that came her way.

LB: Selma Bacha – 7/10 – Always seemed to want the ball and usually had actually her head up looking forward.

CM: Danielle van de Donk – 8/10 – Seemed to cover every blade of grass. Tough in the tackle, although arguably fortunate not be sent off when going into challenges on a yellow card.

CM: Damaris Egurrola – 6/10 – Strong at the base of the midfield, but Lyon needed more if they were going to get on the scoresheet – as they later did.

CM: Lindsey Horan – 7/10 – Always ready for the ball around the box and put Gilles’ goal on a plate for the defender to score. Unfortunately missed out on the decisive penalty.

RW: Delphine Cascarino – 6/10 – Got the better of Carter a few times however failed to make it count.

ST: Signe Bruun – 5/10 – Missed a number of chances in the first half and was replaced at the break.

LW: Amel Majri – 5/10 – Didnt see enough of the ball to make a telling impact.