Chelsea vs Man City LIVE: Hosts complete comeback to reach Women’s Champions League semi-finals after stunning first half
Chelsea 3-0 Manchester City (Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate): The hosts had trailed 2-0 after the first leg but came roaring back at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea produced a stunning first-half performance to overturn Manchester City’s first-leg lead at Stamford Bridge and reach the Women’s Champions League semi-finals for the third season in a row.
Trailing 2-0 from last week’s first leg in Manchester, Chelsea flew out of the blocks in a rampant display under Sonia Bompastor, scoring three times before the break through Sandy Baltimore, Nathalie Bjorn and Mayra Ramirez.
It could, and should, have been more but Khiara Keating’s saves kept City in the tie and Vivianne Miedema, who scored both goals in City’s win last week, went close to grabbing an equaliser in the second half with a shot that whistled past the post.
But it’s Chelsea who advanced to join Arsenal in the next month’s semi-finals. The Blues will once again play reigning champions Barcelona, who have knocked Chelsea out in the semi-finals in the last two seasons.
Follow all the reaction from the Women’s Champions League with our live blog below:
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GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Man City (agg 2-2)
37 mins: All square at Stamford Bridge!
It’s Bjorn who gets there from another Baltimore set-piece and her header loops over a leaping Miedema. Keating’s nowhere near it.
Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
37 mins: City have a chance to breathe as Keating receives a time-out after going down. The stands, predictably, are not very happy about it.
11 shots at goal by Chelsea so far, three on target. Just relentless. Five and three respectively for City.
Now Ramirez sprints through by Prior launches herself at it to clear!
Chance after chance! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
33 mins: Huge wasted opportunity for City as Baltimore plays an incredibly loose back-pass, intercepted by Fowler. Kerolin’s there in acres of space on the right but Fowler opts to go it alone - and it’s booted way into the stands. Really poor.
She wins a corner and Kerolin gets a foot to it, but Chelsea nick it, Rytting Kaneryd makes a fabulous run in no time at all - but Hasegawa finally gets in the way at the goal-line and knocks it out.
All in City’s box at the moment as Keating does well to palm away a looping long ball, then City takes an absolute age to clear a James corner as it pinballs around the box - Miedema hoofs it away from the line and it eventually makes its way out.
CHANCE! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
30 mins: City play a corner but there’s too much heft on it and Ouahabi at the far post can’t get there. Aleixandri wins a goal-kick down the other end and Stamford Bridge unites in a chorus of boos for Keating as she takes it.
James and Baltimore link up beautifully down the left, Aleixandri heads it away but not good enough by City and it’s a free header for Ramirez - but she skies it over the bar.
Shouts for a penalty by Chelsea as Cuthbert comes down in the box under pressure by Aleixandri, but no dice - so far, at least.
Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
25 mins: Immediately back down the other end and James thumps it straight to Keating. Ouahabi dispossesses Chelsea and sets off a counter-attack, with Kerolin taking her time before curling towards goal - but Hampton saves.
A good spell by City, Casparaij makes a great overlapping run but Bright is there to clear a sharp cross. Solid defending by Chelsea.
CHANCE! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
21 mins: Chelsea are relentless, pushing City back up the pitch every time they try to string an attack together.
Casparij gets in a lovely curling cross but Fowler can’t get a header to it in time and Hampton collects, with the England keeper called in to make another great save from Fowler after Miedema flicks it on for her.
Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
17 mins: Only a little over 15 minutes gone and it’s been action-packed so far. Chelsea had five shots in the opening ten - this could be a long night for the visitors.
City are looking a bit panicked, playing some slopping passes and repeatedly conceding possession. Miedema gets the clearance to deny Rytting Kaneryd another cross into the box.
Baltimore plays a corner which City fail to properly clear. Walsh shoots but straight into Keating’s gloves.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (agg 1-2)
13 mins: Breakthrough for Chelsea! First Bronze plays a lovely one-two and hits the post, then Baltimore slots in the rebound, knocking it in off the far post. Keating had no chance. Bompastor applauds calmly from the sidelines.
CHANCE! Chelsea 0-0 Man City (agg 0-2)
10 mins: Cuthbert now nicks it and plays a long pass forward and Ramirez, up front, tries to curl it towards goal but it bends wide. City were a bit lazy there in giving away possession.
End-to-end stuff as first Miedema darts through the box but has nowhere to go, and then Chelsea push forward themselves but can’t get the breakthrough.
Rytting Kaneryd finds James in space but Casparaij clears for a Chelsea corner - Baltimore delivers to Bjorn but she knocks it against the near post! Huge, huge chance.
Chelsea 0-0 Man City (agg 0-2)
6 mins: Chelsea win an early corner but Miedema - last week’s double goalscorer from the bench, in the starting line-up tonight - is there to clear, looking calm despite the early pressure.
Bronze plays a sloppy pass forward and Casparij nearly capitalises, running into space to collect, but plays a tame attempt straight to Hampton.
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