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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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 1-1 Chelsea, 59 minutes
What can Chelsea make of this free-kick? 25 out, right hand side of the box...
Marcos Alonso strikes the top of the wall, and Antonio Rudiger curls wide on the follow-up. Not a bad snatched effort from the German, actually, but Leo Jardim need not chance a dive in the Lille goal.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 58 minutes
A free kick to Chelsea in a reasonably dangerous position will afford Lille the chance to make their changes. Zeki Celik is also going off after receiving some treatment. Into the fray Weah and Onana are thrown.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 57 minutes
Lille aren’’t quite ready to bring on a replacement yet, so they will have to play with ten for a while. Amadou Onana and Timothy Weah will come on in a double switch, but Chelsea have the ball back in Lille territory.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 55 minutes
Yep, soon after waving away the Lille physios, Botman passes the ball out and goes down. This’ll be his race run for the evening.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 53 minutes
More injury woe for Lille! They get themselves in a real pickle trying to play out from the back and Sven Botman, having just about extricated himself from the predicament, clutches at the top of his hamstring. I think the Dutch defender might have to go off here, grimacing as he goes about in an attempt to walk it off.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 52 minutes
Zeki Celik requires some spray on his upper thigh after some apparent muscular discomfort. He leaves the field, as is required, but is soon back amongst things.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 51 minutes
Closer! Wonderful feet from Jonathan Bamba to befuddle Marcos Alonso and create space for a cross, and Burak Yilmaz very nearly finds the top corner with a header. Not far away at all!
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 50 minutes
Mason Mount trips Benjamin Andre and then appears to get in the way as the Lille midfielder tries to play quickly.
Eventually, he does release the quick free kick out to the right and a cross flies from the forehead of Jonathan David, who fails to get sufficient contact on it.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 48 minutes
Chelsea have begun this second period with energy, swarming Jonathan David to nick the ball from the striker inside his own half, but not quite capitalising.
Lille 1-1 Chelsea, 47 minutes
Cesar Azpilicueta has a wrestle with a Lille defender and draws the whistle of referee Davide Massa.
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