Mayra Ramirez (right) gave Ajax an insurmountable mountain to climb, leading Chelsea 4-0 on aggregate. Photo: TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Chelsea 1 Ajax (4-1 aggregate)
Emma Hayes is firmly on track to win four major trophies in her final season as Chelsea manager » as her team reached the semi-finals of the Women's Champions League for the fifth time. once in seven seasons.
After a comfortable 3-0 win in the first leg, it was always a foregone conclusion for Chelsea and they did enough to negate any Ajax threat and score a goal in May match. The 25th final in Bilbao, which will be Hayes's last match in charge.
“We expect to be here, I have to say that,” Hayes said when asked about reaching the last four. “I'm not going to make excuses, we have to be at this level and we have to reach the semi-finals. But look, we didn't win anything. We are where we want to be. I don’t know who the opponent will be, but we are ready.”
Barcelona, the reigning European champions, or Norway's Brann will await in the semi-finals in April, while Spanish league leaders, unbeaten at home so far this season, currently lead the quarter-finals 2-1 ahead of the return leg. on Thursday.
This means Hayes' side could be set for a repeat of last year's semi-final meeting with Barcelona, which the Spanish club won, but this time it will be the Women's Super League side who are at home for the second leg of Stamford Bridge, as well as against Ajax.
The visitors from the Netherlands had to do a lot of work to give themselves any hope of staying in the tournament and Suzanne Bakker's visitors gave Chelsea a huge scare early in the second leg, striker Romy Leuchter going agonizingly close with a low shot before the visitors struck home. outside the post, when Tiny Hoesktra hit goalkeeper Zekira Musovic's clearance, the ball bounced off Hoesktra and rolled towards the empty goal, but narrowly missed the post. It was a lucky escape for Chelsea.
However, the home fans breathed a little easier when record British transfer Mayra Ramires scored her first goal for Chelsea in the Champions League, confidently passing the ball to Regina van Eyck in match one for one.
This is Mayra Ramirez's first goal in Europe! 🇨🇴
Chelsea clear… 🏃♀️💨
Watch UWCL LIVE & FREE on https://t.co/ye55kUaVzk #UWCLonDAZN #NewDealforWomensFootball pic.twitter.com/Db2xLSwvCv
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) March 27, 2024
Ajax equalized on the night when Chasey Grant struck Musovic's body shot, but the Sweden goalkeeper later made a stunning save from Leichter to deny any prospect of a dramatic late comeback.
Hayes was rested. Several players, including England star Lauren James, are hoping for Sunday's League Cup final against Arsenal at Molineux, where Chelsea will try to win the first of a potential quartet of major honors this season.
Match details
< strong>Chelsea (4-3-3) Musovic; Perisse, Carter, Buchanan (Nusken 66), Lawrence; Cuthbert, Ingle, Kirby; Beaver-Jones (Ritting Canerid 76), Ramirez (Macario 66), Reiten (Cankovich 66).
No substitutes used Hampton (c), Berger (c), Leupolz, James, Charles. Booked Perisset.
Ajax (4-3-3) Van Eyck; Cardinal (Verhoeve 76), Spitse, De Sanders (Tolhoek 87), De Clonia (Keyser 46); N. Noordam, Van Goof, Van de Velde (D. Noordman, 68); Grant, Leuchter, T. Hoekstra (Keukelaar 68).
No substitutes used Nienhuis (c), Van der Wal (c), I Hoekstra, Jansen, Sabajo.
< p>Judge Tess Olofsson (Sweden).
Свежие комментарии