Chelsea overturned a 2-0 deficit in the first half of their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City and then weathered a nervy second period to set up a last-four meeting with Barcelona.
Sonia Bompastor's side pressed aggressively from the off, and while City gave as good as they got in patches, Hannah Hampton had a relatively peaceful night in the Chelsea goal.
Key moments
14': Baltimore thumps in Chelsea's first
38': Björn lifts a header from a corner just under the crossbar
43': Ramírez puts the Blues ahead in the tie
73': Miedema goes agonisingly close for City
Match in brief: Ferocious Chelsea bulldoze through
Chelsea defender Nathalie Björn headed against the post from a corner early on and the Blues might have momentarily thought their luck was out when Lucy Bronze struck the post with a 14th-minute shot, but Sandy Baltimore drove the loose ball into the net and the comeback was on.
City tried to stem the tide, with Vivianne Miedema a threat at one end and a saviour at the other as she cleared an Erin Cuthbert header off the line on 34 minutes. The hosts were relentless, however, Björn improving on her previous effort with a perfectly placed header to level the aggregate score.
Chelsea 3-0 Man City: As it happened
With the visitors reeling, Chelsea pressed their advantage, Lauren James setting up Mayra Ramírez to nudge them ahead in the tie before the break. And it could easily have got worse, Khiara Keating standing firm to deny the Colombian a second as she bore down on goal in added time.
The 20-year-old City goalkeeper kept her side in the tie with further saves from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Cuthbert, but nerves jangled at both ends in the second half. Chelsea hearts fluttered when Miedema powered a shot just wide on 73 minutes, but they kept pressing for the goal that might have made the tie safe.
Cuthbert fired against the crossbar with ten minutes to go, and Bompastor's charges were able to manage the pressure well in the closing stages to complete an aggregate win.
Nathalie Björn after heading Chelsea's second goal
Nathalie Björn after heading Chelsea's second goalAFP via Getty Images
Visa Player of the Match: Lauren James (Chelsea)
"Lauren James had a huge impact on Chelsea's win tonight. Her availability in the build-up and her great technique in receiving and shielding the ball are of the highest standard. She gives her team some breathing space and gave Chelsea the chance to move up the pitch. Her timing and passing quality are good and also gave her an assist that was decisive today. She contributed defensively and worked hard when her team needed her."UEFA Technical Observer Group
Paul Saffer, match reporter
Even by the high standards they have set this season, this was an incredible display from Chelsea. They tore into City from the off with a relentless demonstration of pressing, running and finishing across the whole team. Maybe City's injuries caught up with them at the end of this marathon four-game series. Chelsea now take on Barcelona in a semi-final yet again – and perhaps this time they will come out on top if they play like they did tonight.
Reaction
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Sandy Baltimore takes the ball back to the centre circle after hitting Chelsea's opener
Sandy Baltimore takes the ball back to the centre circle after hitting Chelsea's openerGetty Images
Key stats
This was only the second all-English tie in Women's Champions League history. In the only previous one, Birmingham City defeated Arsenal 3-0 on aggregate in the 2013/14 quarter-finals.
Chelsea have won all six of their European quarter-final ties. However, they have lost their last two semi-finals, both to their next opponents, Barcelona.
The Blues have won all 17 of their competitive home matches this season.
Prior to tonight, Chelsea had never won a continental tie after losing by a margin of more than one goal in the first leg.
Up until this one, City had never lost a two-legged Women's Champions League tie after winning the first leg.
Line-ups
Chelsea: Hampton; Bronze, Björn, Bright, Baltimore; Walsh (Jean-François 90+2), Cuthbert; Rytting Kaneryd, Kaptein, James; Ramírez (Beever-Jones 71)
Man City: Keating; Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri, Ouahabi; Roord (Park 65), Hasegawa (Layzell 85), Miedema; Kerolin, Fowler, Murphy (Coombs 46)
What's next?
Chelsea will face Barcelona in the semi-finals on 19/20 and 26/27 April. Barcelona will be at home in the first leg.