chelsea edge out juve to reach last eight published: wednesday 11 march 2009, 0.50cet
juventus 2-2 chelsea fc (agg: 2-3)
michael essien and didier drogba registered at the end of either half as chelsea ousted juve to reach the quarter-finals for the third year running.
by richard aikman from stadio olimpico
chelsea fc are through to the uefa champions league quarter-finals for the third year running after overcoming juventus 3-2 on aggregate following an exciting 2-2 draw at the stadio olimpico.
essien mark vincenzo iaquinta wiped out didier drogba's first-leg goal after 19 minutes, yet juventus were left needing to score two more after michael essien – making his first start after six months out with a cruciate ligament injury – struck in first-half added time. although alessandro del piero's second-half penalty gave the bianconeri hope, claudio ranieri's men first lost giorgio chiellini to a red card on 70 minutes and then the tie as drogba equalised seven minutes from time.
nedvěd blow with juventus having to overturn a first-leg deficit and ranieri limited in his midfield options due to myriad injury problems, the former chelsea boss used a 4-3-3 formation for the first time this season. the hosts began well, david trezeguet heading cristian molinaro's cross over in the first minute, but were soon cursing their luck as pavel nedvěd, who had started strongly, was replaced on 13 minutes by hasan salihamidžić. iaquinta was also lively, dropping deep to supplement the midfield and combining well with his two strike partners. this was no better exemplified than by his magnificent opening goal, as the forward deftly flicked a long ball to trezeguet, raced on to the frenchman's perfect angled pass and applied a sublime clipped finish.
chelsea assured guus hiddink's chelsea could find no immediate reaction and, midway through the first period, petr Čech first had to turn a dipping shot from del piero over the bar before rushing out to thwart the marauding iaquinta. still, though, the premier league outfit remained assured in possession, safe in the knowledge that an away goal would leave the turin side requiring two more to progress.
renewed purpose that goal came in an eventful final minute of the half, the drama commencing when gianluigi buffon dived low to claw away drogba's free-kick at the foot of his left post. chelsea were soon celebrating, however, as frank lampard's deflected long-range shot bounced off the underside of the bar and into the path of the onrushing essien who poked in his first goal since april last year. the introduction of sebastian giovinco for iaquinta helped juve, initially shell-shocked by the ghanaian's strike, find renewed purpose after the break. the diminutive substitute twice fired over, before trezeguet forced a fine save from Čech with a glancing header from del piero's clever cross.
late drama even chiellini's dismissal failed to dampen the serie a club's ardour, and they were offered a lifeline when del piero's free-kick was handled in the wall by substitute juliano belletti. del piero sent Čech the wrong way from the spot to set up a rousing finale. the curva scirea willed their team on but the crucial fourth goal of the night went chelsea's way as michael ballack fed belletti down the right and the full-back centred for drogba to slot in from close range.
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