http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Branislav-Ivanovic-c7994 scored a dramatic goal in extra time against Napoli, to help Chelsea qualify for the Champions League quarter-final while sealing a stunning comeback for the Blues in the 2nd leg.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roberto-c31294 Di Matteo's side pulled off an improbable victory following a 3-1 hammering at Napoli as the Blue’s defender netted the tie winner in extra time. Chelsea won the tie 5-4 on aggregate.
Chelsea drew first blood on the night as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/John-Terry-c18895 scored the second goal for the home side after heading in a Frank Lampard corner just at the start of the second half.
Napoli went on to reclaim the lead on aggregate, when Gokhan Inler blasted home a shot from the edge of the area. However the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Frank-Lampard-c14097 penalty in the 75th minute regained a two goal cushion for Chelsea.
Ivanovic then went on to score the decider in extra time.
Despite the win for the Blues, it was the Italian side which was looking more ominous in the opening stages of the match as they repeatedly created chances in front of the Chelsea goal. Inler played the ball to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Petr-Cech-c29837 with
his effort, but the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 goalie was up to the task and kept him at bay.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Christian-Maggio-c9098, but his effort was hit the side netting much to the relief of a packed Stamford Bridge.
However, Drogba calmed the nerves of the home team, as he scored the opening goal against the run of play. The striker nodded in a goal, following a great cross from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ramires-c30523 to the near post.
Not long after that Terry levelled things up in the tie when he headed the ball from a Frank Lampard corner past the helpless De Sanctis to make it 2-0 in the game. The lead was short-lived though, as Napoli struck immediately after. Second half substitute
Andrea Dossena’s cross was cleared as far as Inler, by John Terry who then blasted the half volley past Cech and into the bottom right corner.
With 15 minutes to go, Lampard thumped home a penalty for Chelsea after Ivanovic’s header caught Dossena’s hand and the referee had no hesitation while pointing to the spot.
With the aggregate score levelled at 4-4, the match went into extra time.
Chelsea created a few chances in the beginning of the extra time and they scored the crucial tie winning goal just at the end of the first half, when Ivanovic smashed a shot into the roof of the net to complete a stunning reparation after the 3-1 loss at
Napoli.
The win puts Chelsea in the quarter finals of this season’s UEFA Champions League.
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