Chelsea hung on to reach the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win despite Mehdi Taremi’s stunning overhead kick in added time handing Porto a 1-0 victory in the quarter-final second leg on Tuesday (April 13).
The substitute had been responsible for his side’s only attempt on target as they chased a 2-0 deficit from last week’s first leg but he provided an emphatic response in a cagey game with his acrobatic strike deep into added time.
Thomas Tuchel’s side had a healthy lead from last week’s away game in Seville and had to withstand an intense start from Porto in their home leg back at the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, the venue of both games due to Portugal’s coronavirus restrictions.
Taremi’s last-gasp strike prevented Chelsea from keeping a clean sheet but they still managed to reach the semi-finals of Europe’s top competition for the first time since 2014.
They will meet either Liverpool or Real Madrid in the last four, with the Spaniards holding a 3-1 lead ahead of Wednesday’s (April 14) second leg.
Porto coach Sergio Conceicao praised his side for going toe-to-toe with Chelsea.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said there is no clear favourite to take the title while praising his group of young players.
via Reuters
