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Chelsea are now just two games away from a second UEFA Women's Champions League final after defeating Ajax 4-1 on aggregate in the last eight, with a semi-final clash against holders Barcelona likely to be set up tomorrow evening. The Blues were in total control of the tie ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge, having won 3-0 in Amsterdam - and it was a good job, too, because they were dealt some scares on home soil in an eventual 1-1 draw on Wednesday night.
As manager Emma Hayes had predicted in midweek, Ajax played with freedom given how little they had to lose and it was they who went closest to breaking the deadlock in the early stages. Sherida Spitse's header landed on the top of the net, Romee Leuchter fired just wide and Tiny Hoekstra nearly found herself on the scoresheet when Chelsea goalkeeper Zecira Musovic slammed a clearance against her, only for the ball to trickle just past the post.
But Chelsea started to give as good as they got as the game went on and after Erin Cuthbert, Aggie Beever-Jones and Guro Reiten had all come close, it was Mayra Ramirez who broke the deadlock with a cool finish through the legs of Ajax goalkeeper Regina van Eijk. However, the Dutch side played well and didn't deserve to lose, even if their eventual equaliser, scored by Chasity Grant, should've been saved by Musovic.
Chelsea were comfortably through after a devastating first leg, though, and a tantalising semi-final clash with Barcelona now looms for the second-successive season. The European champions are 2-1 up against Norwegian side Brann ahead of the second leg in Catalunya tomorrow evening and while the Blues will need to be much better than this if they want to reach the Champions League final, their dream of bidding farewell to Hayes by winning the one trophy that has eluded her is still well and truly alive.
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