Chelsea eased into the Champions League semi-finals despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Ajax at Stamford Bridge – with a possible reunion against Barcelona awaiting them in the next round.
Emma Hayes’ Blues took a three-goal lead from the first leg in Amsterdam and turned it into a big change to make it four before half-time in front of more than 11,000 fans in west London – with Mira Ramirez scoring on her Champions League debut. open the for the club.
Chelsea suffered a few first-half scares before Ramires’ opener and eventually fell behind when Chesty Grant got down from goalkeeper Zakira Mosovic. The draw means the Blues are denied the chance to match their best European run of consecutive victories.
But, more importantly, they enter the last four of the Champions League, where Bran or Barcelona – who knocked Hayes’ Blues out of this competition in the semi-finals last season – await the leaders of the Women’s Super League. The semi-finals are scheduled for the weekend of 20/21 April and 27/28 April.
“If you look at our record in the Champions League, even in the last five seasons, it is only once that we have not qualified for the group and reached the final stages every year,” manager Hayes said at full time.
“We should be at this level, we should be in the semi-finals. We now have a bit more depth to make six changes and what we did tonight.
“We haven’t won anything, I don’t know who the opponent will be. But we are ready.”
And Chelsea’s quest for a quadruple continues – the chance to win one of the four available trophies on Sunday when they play Arsenal in the Continental Cup final at Molineux.
How Chelsea got the job
It was no fluke for Chelsea as Ajax started strongly.
Captain Sherida Speights hit the roof of the net, before Romy Leuchter fired wide from inside the box after Kadisha Buchanan was knocked off the ball. Chelsea then went close at the other end as Erin Cuthbert fired Aggie Beever-Jones’ cross at the near post – but Ajax were coming.
Chelsea goalkeeper Mosovic, who had some poor early touches on the ball, was almost left red-faced when he headed Cuthbert’s backpass straight to Tiny Hoekstra and the ball started to roll towards the goal line. Thanks to the Swede, Ricochet just missed at the near post.
The chance gave Chelsea a wake-up call and Garou Retten fired wide of the far post from inside the box after good work from Beaver Jones, who was then denied two one-on-one chances by last-ditch challenges from Spetses and Kay. . – Lee D. Sanders.
But Chelsea’s opener finally came when Ajax gifted the ball all too easily to Retten, who slotted Ramirez on goal to finish past Ajax goalkeeper Regina van Ajax.
The Colombian striker could have made it two as she met Beaver Jones’ delicious early cross – but couldn’t get enough contact to tap home from a few yards out.
With Arsenal potentially one eye on Sunday’s final, Chelsea were more relaxed after the break.
That allowed Ajax to compete in the second half, with Hoekstra playing one-on-one in Grant, his finish bringing the Dutch side level on the night under Musovic.
Ajax could have taken the lead – and handed Chelsea a rare defeat on 90 minutes – but Mossovic found himself in inspired form. First, Leuchter cut brilliantly inside from the left and fired for the top corner, with Mosovic making a superb reflex save to deny him.
The Chelsea goalkeeper repeated the feat when substitute Dank Tullok attempted a very similar move. Again, a brilliant save combined with a Test strike.
Caterina Macario came off the bench and almost got a winner late on, but her effort was saved by Van Eijk.
And Chelsea have come through this routine assignment unscathed and injury-free – ahead of the start of a big season.
Hayes: Ramirez has given me a squad headache for the cup final
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes:
“I’m happy for Myra, it’s her debut. She was excited about tonight and happy for the goal. She gives me choice problems at the weekend!
“We like to win. I like to say to the players, I don’t care who scores. We have to count on almost everyone throughout the season.
“I have confidence in the squad and I have confidence in the players, something that absolutely needs to be restored this evening, I’m really happy for the whole squad.
“We have more diversity in the squad. More attacking options. More variety, that’s probably at the heart of it. More experience.
“We’ve been to the later stages many times. We know we have to play in these types of games.”
When are the Champions League semi-finals?
April 20/21: Champions League semi-final first leg
April 27/28: Champions League semi-final second leg
May 25: Champions League Final – San Mames, Bilbao
What’s next for Chelsea?
Hayes now has a maximum of 11 matches remaining chelsea The manager, with the club still chasing a historic quarter between now and May 25.
There is a chase for them to move forward Continental Cup As they carry Arsenal The final this Sunday in Molineux, kick-off 3pm.