There it was again. The touchline run. It was how we met Jose Mourinho, a decade ago and how we will remember him, too.
Cesar Azpilicueta shot, the ball caught a tiny hold-up deflection and fell to Demba Ba. It wasn't, fair to say, the cleanest finish. He almost scooped it into the roof or the net, off his boot, off his shin, somehow looping over goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
No-one cared. Chelsea were through and off went Mourinho, down the line to join the celebrations by the corner flag. Just as he had done for Porto at Old Trafford in 2004. This, like that, was one of his greatest nights.
Chelsea
have come back from 3-1 down before in this competition, but not at
this late stage and not against a team as gifted as Paris Saint-Germain.
For a manager with no strikers, Mourinho had rather a lot of them on by
the end. Three, to be precise.
European semi-finals with Chelsea are never anything less than dramatic - from the travesty at home to Barcelona to the little miracle away - and this was no exception. Yet while, in the past, it has been referees that have denied Chelsea - here their main opponent appeared to be the crossbar. Twice in a minute they hit it at the start of the first-half - and either would have been enough to send them through.
In the 52nd minute, a flowing exchange of passes ended with Oscar playing the ball out to Willian on the right. The Brazilian cut the ball back to Andre Schurrle who smashed his shot against the crossbar with goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu beaten. The ball came out and Lucas clumsily fouled Samuel Eto'o. A free-kick was awarded 25 yards out. Oscar took it and - crossbar again. Sirigu was truly leading a charmed life. At that moment the momentum was wholly with Chelsea. It was barely believable that, 20 minutes later, the score was still 1-0 and Paris were clinging on.
Schurrle,
as in the first-half, was at the heart of all that was good about
Chelsea and in the 68th minute he had another chance. Ba won the headed
flick and the German hared across the edge of the penalty area, chasing
down the loose ball and firing off a shot that Sirigu saved.
Meanwhile, as Chelsea risked more in search of the elusive second, so Paris found more gaps. Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani both came close having got in behind the back four, and Lavezzi produced one of the saves of the night from Petr Cech, an acrobatic effort to keep out a curling free-kick from an acute left-side angle. Later, with 10 minutes remaining, he held a low Lucas shot to keep Chelsea in the game.
Cesar Azpilicueta shot, the ball caught a tiny hold-up deflection and fell to Demba Ba. It wasn't, fair to say, the cleanest finish. He almost scooped it into the roof or the net, off his boot, off his shin, somehow looping over goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
No-one cared. Chelsea were through and off went Mourinho, down the line to join the celebrations by the corner flag. Just as he had done for Porto at Old Trafford in 2004. This, like that, was one of his greatest nights.
Defining moment: Substitute Demba Ba slides home Chelsea's second goal to secure a semi-final place
Winner: Demba Ba celebrates after scoring the goal that sent Chelsea into the semi-finals
There he goes: Jose Mourinho races along the touchline after Chelsea added a second, crucial goal
Instructions: Mourinho spoke to his players as they defended their lead in the dying minutes
Joining in: Jose Mourinho raced from the bench to instruct his players after Chelsea's late goal
Despair: Paris Saint-Germain's Alex (centre) and his team-mates stand dejected after conceding
European semi-finals with Chelsea are never anything less than dramatic - from the travesty at home to Barcelona to the little miracle away - and this was no exception. Yet while, in the past, it has been referees that have denied Chelsea - here their main opponent appeared to be the crossbar. Twice in a minute they hit it at the start of the first-half - and either would have been enough to send them through.
In the 52nd minute, a flowing exchange of passes ended with Oscar playing the ball out to Willian on the right. The Brazilian cut the ball back to Andre Schurrle who smashed his shot against the crossbar with goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu beaten. The ball came out and Lucas clumsily fouled Samuel Eto'o. A free-kick was awarded 25 yards out. Oscar took it and - crossbar again. Sirigu was truly leading a charmed life. At that moment the momentum was wholly with Chelsea. It was barely believable that, 20 minutes later, the score was still 1-0 and Paris were clinging on.
Blow: Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard was forced off with a thigh injury early in the first half
Setback: Hazard takes the applause of the crowd as he is forced off just minutes into the second leg
Early change: Hazard is replaced by Andre Schurle as Chelsea are forced into making a first-half substitution
Ivanovic missing
Branislav Ivanovic will miss the first leg of Chelsea's semi-final after picking up a booking at Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, as Chelsea risked more in search of the elusive second, so Paris found more gaps. Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani both came close having got in behind the back four, and Lavezzi produced one of the saves of the night from Petr Cech, an acrobatic effort to keep out a curling free-kick from an acute left-side angle. Later, with 10 minutes remaining, he held a low Lucas shot to keep Chelsea in the game.
On hand: PSG keeper Salvatore Sirigu saves a free kick from Frank Lampard in the first half
Opener: Andre Schurrle fires home for Chelsea as they take the lead against PSG at Stamford Bridge
Helpless: PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu can only watch as Shurrle's strike finds its way into the net
Not done yet: Schurrle celebrates with his Chelsea team-mates after opening the scoring
Wayward: Gary Cahill slices the ball over the bar as Chelsea push forward
What was that? John Terry gives Cahill a look after the defender blazed over from a good position
It
was a discomforting first 30 minutes for Chelsea. So much work to do
and they barely laid a glove on Paris. Not that Laurent Blanc's team
presented much of a threat. They exchanged passes, sharply, with counter
attacking intent, but failed to get through to Cech's goal. The final
ball was overhit or mislaid, Chelsea's defence back to its resilient
best at home.
The problem was that Chelsea offered little more. In the ninth minute, Eden Hazard made to cross and left two Paris defenders on the floor. He played the ball in, and Eto'o had a shot blocked for a corner, which amounted to nothing. And that really was it for the opening half hour, apart from a piece of bad luck many thought would decide the game.
The problem was that Chelsea offered little more. In the ninth minute, Eden Hazard made to cross and left two Paris defenders on the floor. He played the ball in, and Eto'o had a shot blocked for a corner, which amounted to nothing. And that really was it for the opening half hour, apart from a piece of bad luck many thought would decide the game.
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