Chelsea edge past Lyon on penalties to reach Champions League semi-final

Chelsea 1-2 Lyon (Chelsea win 4-3 on penalties)

Chelsea's hopes of becoming the first English side to win the Women’s Champions League stayed alive at Stamford Bridge as they knocked out reigning champions Lyon on penalties in a breathtaking finale.

Substitute Sara Dabritz scored in extra-time to give Lyon a 2-1 aggregate lead and seemingly send the home side out after Vanessa Gilles had netted late in the second half to force the extra period.

Then, with two minutes of injury time played at the end of extra-time, Lauren James advanced inside the box and was tripped. After a protracted VAR check, Maren Mjelde stepped up and buried her spot-kick to send the tie to penalties.

From there, Chelsea’s luck held. After the sides had exchanged misses, US international Lindsey Horan saw her kick saved by Ann-Katrin Berger to put Emma Hayes’ side into the last four and keep in tact the dream of an unprecedented treble.

Chelsea’s aggregate lead, won thanks to Guro Reiten’s brilliant strike in the first leg in France a week ago, had almost been wiped out inside the first five minutes.

Magdalena Eriksson failed to make good contact with a clearance, and the ball fell at the feet of Signe Bruun whose fizzing drive flew inches over the crossbar to the relief of the Blues skipper.

The hosts settled, and should have taken the lead when James showed good strength in midfield and released Sam Kerr to run clear. Christiane Endler in the Lyon goal narrowed the angle well, and Kerr’s early shot came back off the goalkeeper and away to safety.

James drew another save from Endler, this time a fingertip effort to keep the Blues forward from finding the top corner with a brilliant curling effort after cutting in from the left. Moments later, Kerr broke