Thursday 11 April 2013

Chelsea reach Europa League semis despite loss

Chelsea became the first club to qualify for the semifinals of this season's Europa League on Thursday despite losing 3-2 to Rubin Kazan in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie.
The London club go through 5-4 on aggregate after winning 3-1 in last week's first leg and remain on course to win the Europa League a year after triumphing in the Champions League.
Thursday's match was played on the artificial surface at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, 800 kilometres west of Rubin's home in Tatarstan, because UEFA ruled the Russian club's own pitch to be in unfit condition.
Chelsea fans will forever associate the Luzhniki with their team's painful penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League final, although this occasion had a very different feel to it, with the 80,000-capacity venue barely a quarter full.
The Premier League side got off to a glorious start, taking the lead in the fourth minute when Fernando Torres -- who netted a brace in the first leg -- lobbing into an empty net as Rubin 'keeper Sergei Ryzhikov came racing out of his area.
Rubin were given hope when Spanish defender Ivan Marcano headed in a cross from compatriot Pablo Orbaiz six minutes into the second half, but Victor Moses soon restored Chelsea's lead on the night, playing a one-two with Ramires and then curling a shot into the net from 15 yards.

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