Lille vs Chelsea LIVE: Champions League result and final score after Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta goals
Burak Yilmaz put the French side ahead, but Pulisic and Azpilicueta responded to put the holders into the quarter-finals
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Your support makes all the difference.Holders Chelsea made light of their off-pitch problems to reach the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Lille 2-1 away on Wednesday to complete a 4-1 aggregate victory.
The Premier League side, playing amid sanctions imposed on their Russian owner Roman Abramovich following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, eased through thanks to goals by Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta.
French champions Lille dominated for long spells and opened the scoring thanks to a Burak Yilmaz penalty in the opening half, but lacked precision up front and paid dearly for lapses in concentration.
Chelsea, operating on a special licence from the British government that has limited their spending and impacted their operations, showed great composure to ease into the last eight.
Lille had made the better start to the match.
Jocelyn Gouvennec’s side put Chelsea on the back foot as Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante struggled to take control of the midfield.
Lille were rewarded in the 38th minute when they were awarded a penalty following a VAR review after a Jorginho handball in the area.
The 36-year-old Yilmaz, the third oldest scorer in the Champions League knockout stages after Paolo Maldini and Ryan Giggs, buried the spot-kick into the top corner to give the hosts a deserved lead and high hopes of an upset after losing the first leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Lille, who had not conceded a goal in their three Ligue 1 games since the first leg, let their guard down, however, and Chelsea punished them with their first shot on target as Pulisic collected a fine through ball from Jorginho to score with a low shot three minutes into first-half stoppage time.
Although they were hit by injuries which forced Sven Botman and Zeki Celik to leave the pitch, Lille applied more pressure after the break and Yilmaz wasted two clear chances.
Chelsea were far more ruthless and after 71 minutes Mason Mount’s cross bounced off Azpilicueta’s knee into the top corner to end Lille’s hopes of reaching the last eight.
Lille 1-0 Chelsea, 44 minutes
That’s the plan, but the wing-back can only find the meat of a two-man wall, and Lille then head away the corner.
Lille 1-0 Chelsea, 43 minutes
This is tempting for the visitors, though - a free kick, 12 yards or so out, just outside the box. Marcos Alonso to whip one for the far post?
Lille 1-0 Chelsea, 41 minutes
The crowd have been reignited and are raucous again. Burak Yilmaz marched back to halfway with the ball after scoring that penalty, by the way. Lille mean business.
Lille 1-0 Chelsea, 39 minutes
That’s not undeserved for Lille, much as it was a touch unfortunate for Jorginho. The French side have had the better of things in this first half.
GOAL! LILLE 1-0 Chelsea (1-2 agg.) (Burak Yilmaz penalty, 38 minutes)
Fired over a diving Edouard Mendy, who guessed left, and Lille are right in this tie. The Stade Pierre-Mauroy erupts!
Penalty to Lille!
It’s given! A couple of looks at a couple of angles and Davide Massa points to the spot!
Lille 0-0 Chelsea, 36 minutes
Intriguing! Jorginho is hopping about in an attempt to clear and inadvertently strikes down on the ball with his elbow.
Davide Massa has been called over to look at the screen...
Lille 0-0 Chelsea, 35 minutes
Appeals for handball! Edouard Mendy tips away the first ball in but a follow-up cannons against several bodies and Lille are adamant it has struck a Chelsea hand!
Lille 0-0 Chelsea, 34 minutes
The referee has to sort out a bit of squabbling before Jonathan Bamba can deliver...
Lille 0-0 Chelsea, 33 minutes
On comes Chalobah to fill the right-sided centre-half’s berth.
And he’s involved, and booked, straight away! Jonathan David sticks the ball between the substitute’s legs and is dragged down. Free kick to Lille, about a yard away from the edge of the box near the byline. Dangerous position.
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