Lazio 3-1 Bodoe/Glimt (Agg: 3-3)…(Bodoe win 3-2 on pens)
Conference League quarter-final second legs
Fiorentina 2-2 NK Celje (Agg: 4-3)
Jagiellonia Bialystok 1-1 Real Betis (Agg: 1-3)
Chelsea 1-2 Legia Warsaw (Agg: 4-2)
Rapid Wien 1-4 Djurgaarden (Agg: 2-4)
*****
CHELSEA PROGRESSED TO the last four of the Conference League but Enzo Maresca’s problems continued to mount as Legia Warsaw won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in their quarter-final second leg to deepen supporters’ frustrations with the head coach.
The Italian’s side will be favourites to reach the final in Wroclaw on 28 May but there was little here to strike fear into any opponent as the hosts were made to rely on their victory a week ago in Poland to go through 4-2 on aggregate.
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A penalty by Czech forward Tomas Pekhart gave Legia the lead before Marc Cucurella levelled, but Chelsea were soon undone again when Steve Kapuadi scored early in the second half, as the Shed End glowed ominous red in the light of flares lit by the uproarious away fans.
A former Tottenham man quietened west London after nine minutes. Pekhart never played a first-team game for Spurs but left his mark on this tie, reaching a through-ball ahead of Filip Jorgensen who dived in recklessly and fouled.
The stand-in goalkeeper landed his ungainly routine by fumbling Pekhart’s weak penalty into the corner.
Order was restored just past the half-hour mark when Cucurella tapped in Jadon Sancho’s square-ball.
The left-back, who has made a habit this season of bailing out his shot-shy side, has now scored four times since Palmer’s last goal on January 14. The Spain international found the net again before the break but was denied by VAR for offside.
Chelsea found themselves with bigger problems when Legia regained the lead at the start of the second half. Claude Goncalves was left free on the edge of the box to volley a corner towards goal, and unmarked in front of Jorgensen was Kapaudi who headed in.
There followed a long-awaited burst of urgency from Chelsea. Noni Madueke saw his volleyed effort saved on the line by goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic who got up smartly to beat away Tyrique George’s rebound.
George then tapped in Madueke’s cross but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson reacts following the game. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Rangers’ commendable Europa League journey ended at the quarter-final stage following a 2-0 defeat by Athletic Bilbao in the San Mames stadium.
Barry Ferguson’s side had battled hard last week to keep the first leg goalless after the early dismissal of defender Robin Propper and were stretched again in the first half before defender John Souttar conceded a penalty in added time which Oihan Sancet converted.
It was a devastating blow for the Ibrox side who lost defender Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun to injury during the game but they came into the match more after the break and midfielder Nicolas Raskin hit the post.
But a header from Spain winger Nico Williams with 10 minutes remaining sealed the Gers’ fate in a 2-0 aggregate defeat.
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Chelsea progress despite defeat to Legia Warsaw, Rangers bow out in Bilbao
Results
Europa League quarter-final second legs
Conference League quarter-final second legs
*****
CHELSEA PROGRESSED TO the last four of the Conference League but Enzo Maresca’s problems continued to mount as Legia Warsaw won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in their quarter-final second leg to deepen supporters’ frustrations with the head coach.
The Italian’s side will be favourites to reach the final in Wroclaw on 28 May but there was little here to strike fear into any opponent as the hosts were made to rely on their victory a week ago in Poland to go through 4-2 on aggregate.
A penalty by Czech forward Tomas Pekhart gave Legia the lead before Marc Cucurella levelled, but Chelsea were soon undone again when Steve Kapuadi scored early in the second half, as the Shed End glowed ominous red in the light of flares lit by the uproarious away fans.
A former Tottenham man quietened west London after nine minutes. Pekhart never played a first-team game for Spurs but left his mark on this tie, reaching a through-ball ahead of Filip Jorgensen who dived in recklessly and fouled.
The stand-in goalkeeper landed his ungainly routine by fumbling Pekhart’s weak penalty into the corner.
Order was restored just past the half-hour mark when Cucurella tapped in Jadon Sancho’s square-ball.
The left-back, who has made a habit this season of bailing out his shot-shy side, has now scored four times since Palmer’s last goal on January 14. The Spain international found the net again before the break but was denied by VAR for offside.
Chelsea found themselves with bigger problems when Legia regained the lead at the start of the second half. Claude Goncalves was left free on the edge of the box to volley a corner towards goal, and unmarked in front of Jorgensen was Kapaudi who headed in.
There followed a long-awaited burst of urgency from Chelsea. Noni Madueke saw his volleyed effort saved on the line by goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic who got up smartly to beat away Tyrique George’s rebound.
George then tapped in Madueke’s cross but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Rangers’ commendable Europa League journey ended at the quarter-final stage following a 2-0 defeat by Athletic Bilbao in the San Mames stadium.
Barry Ferguson’s side had battled hard last week to keep the first leg goalless after the early dismissal of defender Robin Propper and were stretched again in the first half before defender John Souttar conceded a penalty in added time which Oihan Sancet converted.
It was a devastating blow for the Ibrox side who lost defender Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun to injury during the game but they came into the match more after the break and midfielder Nicolas Raskin hit the post.
But a header from Spain winger Nico Williams with 10 minutes remaining sealed the Gers’ fate in a 2-0 aggregate defeat.
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Chelsea Europe Rangers Soccer