Chelsea survives Rubin test to make semis
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E-mail Xinhua, April 12, 2013
Chelsea became the only English club through to Europa League semifinals on Thursday as Newcastle and Tottenham Spurs were both knocked out in the last-eight battles.
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Torres is congratulated by Lampard after scoring the opener for Chelsea. |
Chelsea along with Benfica, Fenerbahce and Basel will know their last-four opponents when the draw is made on Friday.
Newcastle, trailing 3-1 to Benfica after the first leg, failed to overturn the deficit after a 1-1 draw at St James Park tonight, leaving the stage at 2-4 on aggregate.
Papiss Cisse's header in the second half gave the host chance. But Eduardo Salvio's cool finish in the stoppage time shattered the Magpies' hope and paved the way for the visitors to reach the last four.
Only two teams in knockout stage of Europa League have ever overturned a two goal first-leg deficit.
The job was clearly a difficult one for Newcastle, who sat five points above the relegation zone ahead of the Sunday's Derby against Sunderland in Premier League.
Chelsea, last season's Champions League winner, secured the semifinal berth despite a 3-2 defeat at Rubin Kazan.
With a dominating 3-1 lead after the first leg, the visiting Blues ensured the ticket by two away goals from Fernando Torres and Victor Moses, beating the Russian club 5-4 on aggregate.
Chelsea is also the only English club left in the European competitions after all the four Premier League sides failed to reach the last eight of the higher-level Champions league.
Another London club Tottenham was brave enough to level the score after two legs with 4-4 at Basel, but lost 4-1 on penalties and ended their hope to win a trophy this season.
Turkish side Fenerbahce tied 1-1 at Lazio and won the quarter-final 3-1 on aggregate to progress.
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