Chelsea set-up an all-English Europa League final after coming through a nervy penalty shootout against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Eden Hazard scored the clinching penalty in what could well be his last kick for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, after Kepa Arrizabalaga saved two successive penalties to turn the shootout around.
Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp had previously saved Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta's spot kick to put the visitors in the driving seat before Kepa produced his goalkeeping heroics t secure a 4-3 success.
It was tough luck on the Germans who came from behind to draw 1-1 in 90 minutes and send the game into extra time, and who had two efforts cleared off the line in the closing stages.
Scenes at the Bridge! 🎉
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 9, 2019
Eden Hazard scores the final penalty and Chelsea are heading to Baku!
🔵🔵🔵 pic.twitter.com/JONFS9q5Bx
After losing on penalties in the Carabao Cup final, Maurizio Sarri's men turned things around to book their place in the Europa League final against London rivals Arsenal in Baku.
It was a lively start from both of the top two scorers in this season's Europa League, but the hosts took the lead just before the half-hour mark thanks to Loftus-Cheek's tenth goal of the season.
Hazard set up the chance and Loftus-Cheek took it well as he curled the ball into the far right corner to put the home side in charge at 2-1 on aggregate.
Eintracht Frankfurt didn't waste any time getting themselves level at 1-1 on the night and at 2-2 in the tie when Jovic finished with aplomb just after the break.
📆 February
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 9, 2019
🏆 League Cup final
∙ Refused to be substituted ahead of penalty shootout
📆 May
🏆 Europa League SF
∙ Penalty shootout hero
A much happier ending for Kepa this evening 👊 pic.twitter.com/HjTa9PIx2p
Mijat Gacinovic supplied the pass which split the Chelsea defence and Jovic was there to level the scores four minutes into the second half.
Chelsea looked set for penalty heartbreak when Azpilicueta's effort was saved, but Kepa then saved from Martin Hinteregger and Goncalo Paciencia to allow Hazard to step up and convert the decisive kick.
Chelsea (4) 1–1 (3) Eintracht Frankfurt - Opta stats
- This is the first time that all four places in the Champions League/European Cup and Europa League/UEFA Cup finals will be filled by one country.
- Chelsea have won each of their last four penalty shootouts at Stamford Bridge, with this their first in European competition at home.
- Chelsea have reached their first major European final since the 2013 Europa League, when they beat Benfica 2-1 under manager Rafael Benitez
- Chelsea have never lost a home game against German opponents in all competitions (W7 D3).
- Eintracht Frankfurt have only lost one of their last nine away Europa League games (W5 D3). The German side have scored in all seven of their games on the road in the competition this season.
- Luka Jovic has scored 10 goals in the Europa League this season; no player has netted more (level with Olivier Giroud).
- Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has had a hand in 24 goals in 26 appearances at Stamford Bridge in 2018-19 (13 goals, 11 assists).
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been directly involved in nine goals in his last 14 appearances for Chelsea (4 goals, 5 assists); as many as in his previous 45 games for the Blues.
