Friday, 26 April 2013

Chelsea victory at Basel

           
Basel, who were appearing in their first European semi-final, looked set to earn a draw after a contentious 87th-minute penalty from Fabian Schar cancelled out Victor Moses' early opener.Chelsea had welcomed Cole back after a three-week absence due to a hamstring injury, but their wariness was demonstrated by interim coach Benitez's decision to deploy centre-back Luiz in a midfield holding role.Eden Hazard might have doubled Chelsea's lead shortly before half-time, but a last-ditch challenge from Park Joo-Ho put him off just as he was about to take aim at the exposed Sommer.However, deep into injury time, Luiz drove a 25-yard free-kick beneath the Basel wall and into the bottom-right corner to put Rafael Benitez's side in control ahead of next week's return leg at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech tipped a stinging Schar free-kick over the bar, while Valentin Stocker hit the outside of the post with a drilled cross from the right.First, Stocker rolled a low shot against the base of Cech's right-hand post, before Fernando Torres saw a left-foot snap-shot crash back off an upright after a bold run down the Chelsea left from Hazard.In the end, the only sour note for the visitors was a yellow card for Ashley Cole that rules him out of the second leg, although Basel will also be without centre-back Aleksandar Dragovic for the same reason.

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