Chelsea came from behind to defeat Lille 2-1 and advance to the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday. Cesar Azpilicueta scored the game-winning goal.
Chelsea kept their European campaign alive with a 4-1 aggregate victory in the last-16 tie, despite worries about their eligibility to travel and play in Europe due to EU restrictions placed on club owner Roman Abramovich.
Burak Yilmaz put Lille ahead with a penalty kick at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but Christian Pulisic equalized in the third minute of first-half added time.
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In the second half, Lille’s Xeka hit the post, but Azpilicueta ended their chances of progressing and guaranteed that holders Chelsea were in the quarter-final draw.
Chelsea failed to convert their possession domination into goals in the first half hour, with Andreas Christensen limping off hurt in the 33rd minute.
After referee Davide Massa reviewed the video evidence, Jorginho was found to have touched the ball and Lille were awarded a penalty, which Yilmaz converted to reduce the aggregate deficit in half.
Pulisic guided Jorginho’s brilliant throughball into the bottom-left corner to restore Chelsea’s two-goal lead in the game before halftime.
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Soon after the restart, Yilmaz curled a header wide, and on the hour mark, Antonio Rudiger bent a half-volley from the outside of the box well wide of the post.
In the 71st minute, Xeka headed a cross from Yilmaz against the post, before Azpilicueta touched Mason Mount’s cross at the back post and drove the ball past Leo Jardim to seal the victory.
