By Olumide T. Agunbiade
CHELSEA will play Benfica in Amsterdam on May
15 after the London based club reached their third European final in six years
after winning 3 – 1 in their Europa League semi-final second leg against Basel.
Rafael benitez’s team proved too strong for the Swiss minnows
over the two matches and an aggregate victory of 5-2 reflected the difference
in quality between the sides. Chelsea’s place in the final leaves them on
course for their second European trophy in two year.
The Europa League lacks the prestige and glamour of its
richer, hallowed cousin, the Champions League, but victory in the Netherlands
in 13 days would add considerable gloss to what has been a patchy, often
poisonous, campaign.
Basel’s manager5 Murat Yakin suggested before the match that
his team needed a “small miracle” to progress and half-way through the second
leg an upset was possible. Mohamed salah’s crisp finish for Basel in first-half
added time leveled the scores on aggregate and put the tie in the balance.
But close-range finishes from Fernando Torres and Victor
Moses, followed by a breathtaking David Luiz strike, stretched the Chelsea’s
advantage to three goals and ended the hopes of the Swiss visitors.
Meanwhile in Portugal, an Oscar Cardozo double propels
Benfica to the Europa League final after seeing off Fenerbahce 3-1 to seal a
3-2 aggregate success in a breathtaking semi-final second leg at Estadio da luz
yesterday.
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