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How Chelsea ‘smuggled’ their way into Champions League quarter-finals

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Chelsea had on Tuesday night played host to Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League with 0-1 deficit suffered at Signal Iduna Park during the first leg.

However, National Daily can confirm that the Blues were able to seal their spot in the quarter-finals after a 2-0 second-leg victory over die Schwarzgelben.

Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling had opened the scoring for the west London club in the first half.

Kai Havertz netted from the penalty spot after a VAR check to turn the tie on its head – but only after he was forced to retake it having missed his first attempt – with Dortmund players judged to have encroached inside the box before he shot.

Chelsea who dominated the opening 10 minutes had numerous early chances, with the first falling to Joao Felix, who saw his effort blocked away at the near post by Alexander Meyer, in goal for Dortmund with first choice Gregor Kobel reduced to the bench with an injury.

Graham Potter men however went close from the resulting corner after an excellent delivery from Ben Chilwell but despite centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly being free from 12 yards in the centre of goal, he could not direct his header on target and Havertz wasted another opportunity moments later after firing into the side netting.

Meanwhile, Dortmund enjoyed their first big chance through Marco Reus’ curling free-kick, which forced a fantastic save from Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Havertz should have then put the Blues ahead just before the half-hour mark but his agonisingly close first-time shot inside the box cannoned off the post.

Havertz put the ball in the back of the net on 38 minutes but it did not count with Sterling offside in the build-up. The England star redeemed himself just before half-time, though, rifling an impressive finish into the roof of the net to spark huge celebrations in the home end as Chelsea made it 1-1 on aggregate.

There was drama in the early stages of the second half with Chelsea awarded a penalty for a handball from Marius Wolf following a lengthy VAR check which saw referee Halil Umut Meler go over to the monitor to review the decision.

Havertz, who Potter confirmed as Chelsea’s new penalty taker in the build-up to the game, sent Meyer the wrong way but his effort hit the post before he was forced to retake it, scoring the second time around after putting it virtually in the same spot – just a few inches to the left – as Chelsea went 2-1 up on aggregate.

Dortmund players were furious at the penalty being awarded – as well as the subsequent retake – and Edin Terzic’s side piled on the pressure as they hunted an equaliser to force extra time, with UEFA having scrapped the away-goal rule.

Englishman Jude Bellingham had a massive chance from just six yards out around the hour mark but fired wide and Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa was forced into a save following a strike from Wolf. Chelsea once again had the ball in the back of the net with 15 minutes to play but Sterling was again offside in the build-up.

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Bellingham looped a header over the bar on 89 minutes and the visitors kept pushing in added time but Dortmund were ultimately unable to pull one back as they failed to score in a match for the first time since November 8, sparking wild scenes at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea fans celebrated a massive victory.

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